Kolkata 5th on global list of airports in congested areas
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Kolkata: An international study found that residents around Kolkata airport are at 17% more risk of being affected by pollution and accidents than those in Ahmedabad, where a flight crashed last month, killing 260 people, including 19 who were not on the flight and 67 others who were seriously injured.
The study raises concerns about the safety of airports surrounded by dense urban development, placing Kolkata airport fifth among the world's 50 most enclosed airports. Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport is ranked behind Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, which leads this unenviable list. Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, where Air India flight AI 171 crashed into a medical college hostel on June 12, is the third Indian airport at number 12 on the list.
This list includes five other Indian airports: Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Patna, and Surat.
The 2022 study titled "You Are Surrounded! Measuring the Enclosure of Airports in Urban Areas" by Belgian researchers Taïs Grippa and Frédéric Dobruszkes highlighted the dangers of airports surrounded by residential zones. Published in The Professional Geographer, the paper introduced an enclosure index based on population density within a 15 km radius around airports.
Densely populated areas near flight paths increased risks on the ground in case of accidents, as well as escalated long-term exposure to noise and air pollution.
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The study found people living near Kolkata airport (enclosure index of 12,69,788) were at 17% higher risk of being exposed to pollution and accidents than residents in the vicinity of Ahmedabad airport (10,82,503). Those living near Mumbai airport (21,82,819) face a 72% greater risk than those living near Kolkata airport.
According to the study, in all airports with an enclosure index higher than 2,00,000, the population is exposed to aircraft noise, air pollution, and risk of accidents.
The implications of an airport being situated in a densely packed urban environment were tragically demonstrated in Ahmedabad's Meghani Nagar area on June 12 when Air India flight AI 171 crashed shortly after take-off, narrowly missing residential clusters and the Civil Hospital campus but crashing into a medical college hostel.
Despite the evident risks, large populations continue to live in close proximity to busy airports. In Mumbai, the Dharavi slum borders both airport terminals. At Kolkata airport, buildings on Jessore Road, Michael Nagar, New Barrackpore, Durganagar, Madhyamgram, and Barasat line directly in the flight path to the north of the airport, and those in Kaikhali, Rajarhat, New Town, Salt Lake, and Science City lie to the south.
Kolkata airport currently faces over 200 obstacles in its vicinity, posing potential risks during aircraft take-off and landing.
A recent Obstacle Limitation Surface study identified 377 hazards around the NSCBI Airport, including 118 buildings and other structures deemed "problematic." Of these, only 15 have been removed so far, with action yet to be initiated against the remaining 103. These include mobile towers, water tanks, dish antennas, lightning arresters, and unauthorised high-rise structures.
Obstructions include high-rises in Rajarhat and New Town, dish antennas in Madhyamgram, lightning arresters in New Town, large hoardings near BT College More, mobile towers in Michael Nagar and New Barrackpore, and electric poles along Jessore Road.
The urgency of these concerns was highlighted at a high-level meeting of the Airfield Environment Management Committee held at NSCBI Airport on May 23.
Urban planning guidelines recommend a 20 km low-development zone around airports to prevent encroachments and ensure safety. However, enforcement remains inconsistent. While new airports are advised to maintain 6-8 sq km of clear space, city expansion steadily encroaches upon older airports built on former outskirts.
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