Government Seeks ICAO Study to Address Safety Concerns of Buildings Near Airports
The government is seeking help from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to address a long-standing problem of how to manage building height restrictions around airports. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on Saturday that an international study will be carried out to find solutions, taking cues from global cities like Hong Kong, London, and New York, where airports and high-rise buildings exist side by side.
The issue has become more urgent after the recent Air India crash in Gujarat, which highlighted the dangers of obstacles near airports. The Minister stressed that aviation safety is the top priority, but at the same time, real estate growth around airports cannot be ignored. “We want to find a balance between safety and development,” he said while speaking at the 17th National Convention of real estate body NAREDCO in New Delhi.
India’s airport network is expanding rapidly from 74 airports in 2014 to 162 today and the government plans to add 50 more in the next five years, with a long-term vision of over 350 airports. With this growth, conflicts over building heights are expected to increase. To prepare for the future, Naidu said the ICAO study will follow global best practices and is part of the government’s “Viksit Bharat” vision.
Experts from ICAO will be invited to study how global hubs like Hong Kong, London, and New York where dense real estate coexists with some of the world’s busiest airports manage height restrictions without undermining safety.
Beyond safety, the government is also looking at airports as hubs of economic growth. Naidu emphasized plans to develop aerotropolises, airport-centered urban clusters with hotels, convention centers, and commercial activities. “Airports globally operate at very high economies of scale, and India must harness this potential,” he said.
But the tension remains clear as developers see opportunity in the land around airports, while aviation authorities warn that any relaxation of height norms could jeopardise lives. With the memory of the Gujarat tragedy fresh, the ICAO-backed study may prove crucial in deciding whether India can find a middle ground that secures both its skies and its skyline.
