Clarify height restriction norms for buildings around airport: HC

The Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to clarify by Thursday, the statutory provisions on building height restrictions around the airport.

A bench led by Justice VM Kanade directed both authorities to inform the court of action taken against buildings that flouted these height restrictions and that had been served show-cause notices.

The directions came while the bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation on the rampant violations of height restrictions around the airport.

During the last hearing, the bench had directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to demolish illegal portions of a private residential building near the international airport runway and to register an FIR against the developer of the project.

On Wednesday however, the developer sought relief from the court while arguing that as per a Ministry of Civil Aviation gazette, the height of residential buildings must be calculated on the basis of ‘geographical coordinates.’ “If this method is followed, half the houses constructed around the area will have to be knocked off, rendering people homeless. The DGCA had earlier issued a No Objection Certificate for our building, but withdrew it later,” he said.

“We are now seeking a revised NOC and are willing to correct ourselves in terms of any violations,” he said.

The court asked DGCA for statutory provisions on height restrictions. It asked all parties to file an individual synopsis.