8 apartment complexes near Jakkur airport in a spot over height

At least five of them have been issued notices by the BBMP to explain how they carried out construction beyond 45 metres

Several luxury apartment complexes are among 11 structures that are found to have violated height restrictions around the Jakkur aerodrome in northern Bengaluru.

At least five of them have been issued notices by the BBMP to explain how they carried out construction beyond the 45 metres specified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). DGCA norms apply to structures located within a five-km radius of an aerodrome.

“We inspected structures in the five-km radius. Besides measuring the height to determine if they fall under the prescribed limit, we also checked if the structures were built as per the approved plan and have a No Objection Certificate (NOC),” said a BBMP official on condition of anonymity.

Out of the 11 structures, eight are apartment complexes, most falling under the luxury category. Of the remaining three, one is a water tanker and one is a cellphone mast (cell tower).

Asked how they were issued NOCs and Occupancy Certificates, officials suggested the additional structures had come up after permissions were obtained. While structures with temporary installations would be ordered to be removed to adhere to norms, major violations could even result in demolition.

The minimum floor-to-floor height in apartment building is 10 feet. As per the DGCA’s height restrictions, no building within a five-km radius of an aerdrome should be taller than 147.6 feet (45 metres). Going by this yardstick, no building should have more than 14 floors. Since high-end apartment buildings have a higher floor-to-floor height, they should have even fewer floors.

However, almost all apartment buildings identified by the BBMP have 15 or more floors. Some even have over 20 floors. Thousands of people have bought homes in these apartment complexes.

“We have served notices seeking an explanation on violation and deviation from the NOC. In cases where reduction of height is possible, the same would be suggested,” the official said.

The structures were identified during a survey based on the directions of the Youth Empowerment and Sports Minister K C Narayana Gowda. Gowda had ordered a survey of the buildings around the airstrip in June 2021 and asked the BBMP to ensure that all structures violating norms are demolished.