Latest news with #OLS
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
After airport survey, 98 of 377 flight hurdles removed
Kolkata: Despite repeated warnings and ongoing efforts, only 98 out of 377 identified obstacles that directly come in the flight path of Kolkata airport were removed, according to the latest Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) study released by the airport authorities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The report highlights that numerous structures and objects still pose a serious threat to aircraft during take-offs and landings. The OLS study, which assesses potential obstructions within designated airspace zones around the airports to ensure safe flight operations, revealed that while a significant number of tall trees were cut down and illegally constructed building floors of 15 structures were dismantled, the majority of hazards remain unaddressed. Unremoved obstacles include mobile towers, water tanks, dish antennas, lightning arresters, and unauthorised high-rises. The airport authorities have issued notices to the owners of the remaining structures, demanding their immediate removal. "We've flagged these obstructions multiple times," said an airport official. "While there was some action, a substantial number of hazards still need to be dealt with." The issue was recently discussed at the Airfield Environment Management Committee (AEMC) meeting, attended by senior state officials, including Nandini Chakraborty, principal secretary of Hill and Home Affairs, Bidhannagar Police commissioner Mukesh Kumar and officials of PWD, urban development department, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other surrounding municipalities. One of the major hurdles cited by municipal bodies is the delay in receiving permissions from the state forest department for pruning or removing trees. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The BMC requested the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to provide precise GPS coordinates of the trees identified for pruning. It was decided that AAI will share the coordinates of tall trees near the airport perimeter falling under six civic jurisdictions: BMC, New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA), Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Madhyamgram Municipal Corporation (MMC), New Barrackpore Municipality (NBM), and North Dum Dum Municipality (NDM). Among these, Madhyamgram Municipality and Rohanda Gram Panchayat were recognised for their proactive approach, having removed 52 of the 114 tall trees. The current report included detailed photographs and descriptions of remaining violations: high-rises in Rajarhat and New Town, dish antennas in Madhyamgram, lightning arresters in New Town, hoardings near BT College More, mobile towers in Michaelnagar and New Barrackpore, coconut trees in Michaelnagar, and electric poles along Jessore Road.
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Pune airport set for major expansion: Murlidhar Mohol
With the new integrated terminal building (NITB) at Pune airport now fully operational, the focus has shifted to the redevelopment of the old terminal. The reconstruction work is progressing rapidly, said minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Moho, on Monday. 'The redevelopment of the old terminal is being undertaken with a vision to enhance capacity and streamline services. Post-redevelopment, the airport will house 48 check-in counters, two automated boarding gates, a new departure gate, and expanded ticket counters. The enhanced infrastructure will enable the airport to handle up to 1.05 crore passengers annually,' he said. Currently, the new terminal spans 36,000 square meters, and an additional 6,000 square meters will be added during the redevelopment phase. To support these efforts, the central government has allocated ₹25 crore. Mohol emphasised that strict instructions have been issued to complete the work by the end of 2025. According to Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials, this integration is a strategic response to increased passenger traffic and the growing demands of the airport. Mohol also confirmed that the Obstacle Limitation Survey (OLS) for the runway extension at the airport has been completed successfully. The survey is crucial for assessing the feasibility of extending the runway to accommodate larger aircraft and more international flights. 'The OLS has been completed at record speed, and the results are encouraging. Now further discussions and talks are going on with the Air Force officials to get the land from them for the actual work to be started for the runway extension. The discussion was positive, and we are hopeful to get the necessary land from the Air Force,' said Mohol. He added that land acquisition for the runway extension is expected to be completed within the next seven to eight months.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Puducherry airport expansion: AAI completes Obstacle Limitation Surface survey
As a preliminary step towards expansion of the Puducherry airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has completed the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) survey to identify potential obstacles along the airspace of Puducherry airport before starting construction of a new runway. After aborting the plan to extend the existing runway, the AAI in consultation with the territorial administration had agreed on a new orientation for the runway that would entail discarding the existing runway of 1,502 metres and constructing a new flight strip of 2,300 metres for operation of Airbus 320 type aircraft from Puducherry. A three-member team from the Central headquarters of the AAI in New Delhi was in Puducherry for a week from May 6 to conduct the OLS survey using hi-tech equipment including DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System), a specialised piece of gadget involved in satellite-assisted mapping of land. 'The team was in Puducherry from May 6 to 13 and they were involved in detailed mapping of the airspace. The preliminary assessment is that the approach ways and sideways of the proposed runway are free of obstacles, which includes mobile towers, high tension electric lines and high rise buildings. Now, the team will prepare a OLS chart and submit the plan to Planning and Airport Operation directorates of AAI for approval,' a source in AAI told The Hindu. The proposed runway would extend to a point near the toll gate near Moratandi on the Tindivanam-Puducherry highway. The new orientation, which is a 20-degree deviation with respect to the existing runway, to materialise would need 402 acres of land with majority of the land parcel required for expansion lying on the Tamil Nadu side. For the construction of new runway having 2,300 metre in length and 45 metre width, the AAI would need 217 acres in Tamil Nadu area and 185 acres in Puducherry side, said an official. 'Land acquisition will be the biggest challenge as we will need around ₹ 1,500 crore to bear the acquisition cost in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. We have approached the Centre for the financing part and also initiated talks with Tamil Nadu at administrative level land acquisition part. While residential areas are less in places where land acquisition was necessary, government assets would need rehabilitation. Shifting of certain civic facilities will also be a huge challenge. We are still in a very preliminary stage as far land acquisition part of airport expansion project was concerned,' the official said.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hundreds of Climate Pledge Arena concession workers to get back pay after city investigation
This story was originally published on Hundreds of concessions workers at Climate Pledge Arena will receive back wages. According to a press release from the Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS), the city investigated Seattle Concessions Inc., a concessions provider at Climate Pledge Arena, for alleged violations of the Wage Theft, Secure Scheduling, and Paid Sick and Safe Time ordinances. 'The company settled the allegations and agreed to pay $353,280.76 in back wages, interest, liquidated damages and civil penalties to 685 employees, along with $1,164.28 in fines to the City of Seattle,' the release said. According to OLS, the company did not provide employees with all required rest breaks, nor did it pay workers for some employer-initiated schedule changes under the Secure Scheduling ordinance. OLS also said Seattle Concessions failed to provide proper written notice of Seattle's Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) ordinance. 'Breaks are extremely beneficial for customers, the business and the worker. They make workers better at customer service as well,' said Seattle Concessions Inc. employee Orion Penn in a statement included in the press release. 'It's important for workers to stand up for their rights because so many don't. So many are afraid, and so many can't afford to lose their jobs. But they definitely need to, and they should know that they are supported and protected.' 'Seattle's labor standards, including Wage Theft, Paid Sick and Safe Time, and Secure Scheduling, are designed to safeguard the interests of all workers, including those in the service industry,' said OLS Director Steven Marchese in the release. 'Labor laws help facilitate better working conditions and ensure workers in Seattle can operate free of retaliation in the workplace, earn a livable wage and have greater stability both in and out of the workplace.' KIRO Newsradio and MyNorthwest have reached out to Seattle Concessions Inc. and Climate Pledge Arena for comment.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Yahoo
Texas DPS arrests gang member, seizes 200 pounds of marijuana after chase, crash
The Brief Texas DPS troopers seized about 200 pounds of marijuana after a chase with a confirmed gang member last week. It happened in Brownsville, Texas. The gang member has been identified as 35-year-old Michael Anthony Montoya of San Juan, Texas. TEXAS - The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) arrested a confirmed gang member and seized 200 pounds of marijuana during an Operation Lone Star (OLS) traffic stop in Cameron Co. last week. What we know On Monday, March 17, a DPS Trooper attempted to stop a black 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee on SH 48 in Brownsville. Troopers say the driver refused to stop and led the Trooper on a chase until he crashed his vehicle at an intersection. During a search of the vehicle, the trooper found eight plastic-wrapped bundles of marijuana in the back seat and cargo area. The marijuana seized has an estimated street value of nearly $160,000 and weighed 200 pounds. The driver, Michael Anthony Montoya, Jr., 35, of San Juan, Texas, is a confirmed Valluco gang member. He has been charged with evading arrest and felony possession of marijuana. He was booked into the Cameron Co. Jail. He is no longer listed in the jail roster. What we don't know Officials have not said when Montoya bonded out of jail. The amount of his bond has not been released. The Source Information in this article is from a Texas Department of Public Safety news release.
