Who is responsible for high rise buildings near Nagpur airport?

By Vikas Vaidya

Out of the 10 buildings constructed near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, on which MIHAN India Limited (MIL) raised objections, four got No Objection Certificate from Airport Authority of India (AAI). ‘The Hitavada’ tried to investigate and it was found that AAI gave NOC to those four buildings but MIL noticed illegalities in them. How come it happened? Secondly Nagpur Municipal Corporation is trying to get away from its responsibility by saying that it is not the authority to certify Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL). Technically it is correct, but then how could such illegal constructions be stopped? This is absolutely the classic example of passing the buck.
A building on Hingna road got approval with permissible height of 340.291. Accordingly Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) gave permission to it. It started construction and probably MIL noticed that the building had 11.38 meters obstacle height. There are four such buildings which got NOC from AAI for the prescribed height. Later on for the same heights AAI and MIL raised objections and lodged complaints with NMC. When ‘The Hitavada’ tried to know the reason from highly placed sources, it said that probably AAI or MIL might have done inspection the air mapping where it would have found the height of the building objectionable.
Now, the question comes to everybody’s mind, after NOC from AAI how could NMC stop the building from getting constructed? If AAI or MIL finds fault after the construction of building then who is the authority to demolish it?
While talking to ‘The Hitavada’ on this issue, Ashwin Mudgal, the then Municipal Commissioner (now District Collector) he had replied to MIL, on the issue of request of demolition the building ‘Renuka Enclave’ situated on Hingna Road. Madhav Deshpande of Messers Keshav Nivara that constructed Renuka Enclave got the NOC from MIL in 2011. MIL issues NOC on the basis of which NMC grants permission taking other things into account. But MIL raised objection on its height in 2016, almost after five years. MIL pointed out that the developer had mislead them by showing wrong AMSL certificate on the basis of which it got NOC. NMC told MIL that technically it (NMC) is not the authority to certify AMSL. NMC had informed Renuka Enclave that its height would obstruct the flight approach funnel of the airport runway. Accordingly Madhav Deshpande had clarified the same to MIL.
NMC’s reply further pointed out that if any part of any construction is obstructing the flight approach funnel then under ‘The Aircraft (Demolition of obstructions caused by Buildings and Trees etc.) Rules, 1994’ Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) can ask developer to demolish the objectionable part.
There are six constructions which did not get NOC from AAI. How NMC granted them permission to go ahead without seeing AAI’s NOC is the big question. When it was brought to the notice of Mudgal, he said that such buildings that did not get NOC must be illegal. How those illegal constructions came into existence? When those buildings were being constructed, so NMC or MIL both did not notice. How come it happened?
The height obstruction is making pilots of the aircraft everytime hear Ground Proximity Warning leading to confusion during flying. The pilots are experiencing it since long, admitted V M Mulekar, Sr Airport Director of MIL. In that case why the late measures have been taken?
This non-application of mind by the authorities in sanctioning high rise buildings near funnel area of Airport  has now emerged as biggest threat to its growth and very survival as an important airport.