SC declines to examine PIL seeking curbs on construction near airports, grants liberty to approach authorities
New Delhi, June 16
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation seeking directions to the Centre to frame a policy regulating construction and development around airports to enhance public safety in the wake of the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice V. Mohana allowed the petitioner to withdraw the matter with liberty to approach the competent authorities.
"Learned counsel for the petitioner seeks and is permitted to withdraw this petition with liberty to approach the authorities concerned," the apex court said in its order.
Disposing of the matter, the CJI-headed bench added: "The Writ Petition is, accordingly, dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as aforesaid."
The plea, filed through advocate Laxmikant Matadan Shukla, had sought judicial directions to the Union government to formulate a comprehensive public policy aimed at preventing the construction of residential buildings, hospitals, educational institutions and other vulnerable establishments in proximity to airport runways.
The PIL was filed against the backdrop of the Air India Flight AI171 crash near Ahmedabad airport. Referring to the incident, the petitioner contended that the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off and struck the premises of B.J. Medical College, resulting in the deaths of passengers, crew members, resident doctors, and medical students.
The petition maintained that the Ahmedabad tragedy had brought into focus the larger issue of unregulated urban growth around airport peripheries and the need for a nationwide framework balancing development with aviation safety.
The plea also cited examples of dense residential settlements around several airports, including Mumbai, and sought the creation of uniform national guidelines governing construction activity in airport safety zones. However, without expressing any opinion on the merits, the Supreme Court allowed the petitioner to withdraw the matter and granted liberty to approach the authorities concerned for appropriate relief.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, someone is talking about the mess around Mumbai airport! I live near there, and the high-rises have come up so close that you can literally see people inside their apartments while the plane is landing. It's scary for both residents and passengers. But at the same time, where will people go? Land in Mumbai is already so scarce. The authorities need to balance safety with reality. At least the PIL has brought this issue into the spotlight. Hope something concrete comes out of approaching the authorities now.
The court is right—these are technical matters best left to aviation regulators and urban planners. But I hope the petitioner actually follows up with the authorities and doesn't let this fizzle out. The Ahmedabad crash showed how dangerous unregulated construction can be—a plane hitting a medical college is unthinkable. We need Indian-specific guidelines, not just copy-paste from ICAO standards. Also, why isn't there already a policy? This should have been done decades ago. Better late than never I suppose.
As someone who works in aviation infrastructure in the US, I've seen how strict our FAA regulations are about building heights and land use around airports. India's growth is impressive, but safety can't be compromised. The Ahmedabad incident is a prime example of what can go wrong. I hope the authorities take this seriously and implement something similar to what we have—clear zones, height restrictions, and no-go areas for certain construction types. It's not about stopping development; it's about doing it smartly. ✈️
Respectfully, I disagree with those saying the court did the right thing. This is a public safety issue that affects thousands of lives! The Supreme Court could have at least asked for a status report from the government on existing safeguards. Instead, it's been passed around like a hot potato. The plea specifically mentioned B.J. Medical College where doctors and students died
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