Indore airport flouts norms, does not have buffer zone yet

Lack of space at Indore airport has prevented the authorities from creating a mandatory 'buffer zone' between the parking lot and the terminal building.

"As per norms, there should be a buffer zone of 50 metres between the parking lot and the terminal building for security reasons. However, with the existing available space, the distance between the front end and the parking lot is only about 25 metres," an Indore airport official told HT.

When construction of the new terminal building was completed in 2011, the mandatory clearance from Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCS) had come with a rider that the authorities build a car park as per the specifications at a future date. However, the required specifications are yet to be met due to lack of space.

For the past few years, the airport management has been urging the Indore administration to allocate extra land for expansion of the car park, but with little success.

When the new airport terminal building was in planning stage, the airport authorities wanted a piece of land that was in dispute over ownership claims; so the authorities had little option but to go for a relatively smaller car park. At present, the parking lot is able to accommodate 450 cars and 10 buses.

In 2008, the airport authorities had demanded 25 acre land from the district administration for the airport's expansion. However, the land adjacent to the airport could not be allocated because of a dispute between the forest department and Usharaje Trust over its ownership. This matter is pending in the Supreme Court. The airport administration needs more land to park 700 cars and 200 two-wheelers as it looks to upgrade its status to international airport.

Indore airport director RN Shinde said they have asked the district administration for about 11-hectare land for additional car parking space.