Obstacles delay DGCA nod for advanced runway lighting system at BPIA
Bhubaneswar: A few coconut trees, a temple and an unauthorised building at Jagamara, close to the boundary and landing area, have turned impediments in getting approval from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the category-2 runway lighting system at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here.
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Airport authorities said the DGCA team found the obstructions unfit to operationalise the instrument landing system (ILS) cat-2 on the runway. BPIA authorities recently surveyed the area jointly with agencies like Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), general administration (GA) department and police.
"Several obstructions like trees, electric poles and shops lie on the approach side of runway-14, which infringe on the approach light and obstacle-free zone (OFZ) of the airport.
DGCA has pointed out these anomalies. A survey was carried out, and objects were identified. Through a joint survey, an initial assessment was done by a team from Airports Authority of India (AAI), BMC, BDA and GA on May 5," said airport director Prasanna Pradhan.
He said the structures have to be demolished or trees have to be cut for installing the lighting. Waiting hours for air passengers will be reduced, and planes can land in low visibility after operationalisation of ILS category-2 lighting along the runway.
The system will facilitate the landing of aircraft with low visibility up to 300 metres. The current lighting system (category-1) provides visibility to the runway from 500 m.
Airport officials said the new facility was ready before March 31, but for the operational safety of aircraft, DGCA approval is important. Around BPIA, there are residential areas, colonies, apartments, commercial centres, trees, ponds and fish and meat shops.
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Many are within the permissible limits and don't hamper airport operations. But some facilities close to the runway pose a threat. In the past, many tall trees around the airport, mostly towards Jagamara, Pokhariput and Gandamunda, were either cut or pruned to avoid nesting and providing shelter for birds.
Pradhan said a temple in Jagamara has three tall coconut trees and a water body nearby.
Work on a third terminal (T3) in BPIA is likely to start soon as the tender process has begun. Senior airport officials, including Pradhan, discussed plans for the new terminal building during a meeting. The proposed terminal (T3) may pave the way for segregated handling of arrivals and departures. BPIA now operates with two terminals — T1 for domestic flights and T2 for international operations.
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