Notice to govt over plea against elevated highway near Jakkur aerodrome

The High Court on Tuesday ordered notice to the State and the Union governments in connection with a petition seeking to save the Jakkur aerodrome from the elevated highway (EH) project. The petitioners say that the project is in violation of norms and obstructs flights.

The petitioners, Agni Aero Sport and Adventure Academy Private Limited (AASAAPL), had moved the High Court over the construction of the EH to provide connectivity to the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), stating that the EH had come up in the no obstruction zone of the Jakkur runway approach funnel, endangering the safety of flight operations and making the runway unsuitable for many aircraft which could earlier operate from there.

The petitioners noted that AASAAPL, established in 1994, is the pioneer in India in aerosports, especially microlight flying. They said it is the country’s first all-metal microlight aircraft manufacturing facility. 

“We conduct cloud seeding, weather modification and atmospheric research, using specially modified aircraft. The inaction on the part of the authorities to exercise power under the Aircraft Act, 1934, and to prevent such illegal EH construction in the vicinity will result in danger to human lives. It may also lead to the closure of the aerodrome and the City losing another precious lung space to real estate sharks and creating an environmental disaster,” the petitioners said.

Noting that the elevated highway portion in the funnel zone has effectively reduced the runway usable length from 850 metre to 500 metre (by about 40 per cent), the petitioners said that this had jeopardised the safety of flight operations and also made the operations of certain classes of aircraft unviable. 

The petition seeks the demolition of the portion of the EH, 45 metre on either side of the extended centre line of the Jakkur aerodrome runway, in compliance with the specifications laid for airport construction or modification of the plan in such a manner that keeps in mind the approach funnel zone of the aerodrome.

Justice A S Bopanna, who heard the matter, ordered notice to the State government, Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, chairman of National Highways Authority Of India and director of the Government Flying Training School.