HC directives in PIL on difficulties faced at Srinagar Airport

19/10/2017

Jammu, Oct 18: In Public Interest Litigation the court had taken suo-moto cognizance of difficulties faced by passengers at Srinagar International Airport. A Division Bench of State High Court Comprising Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey directed respondent They need to analyze the data and to file an affidavit accordingly. The same be done within four weeks.
While issuing direction Division Bench observed that the status report submitted by Mr B. A. Dar, Sr. AAG on behalf of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, is taken on record and Adv Bhan, appearing on behalf of the Airports Authority of India, submits that there has been progress in the setting up of a Simple Approach Lighting System.
He further submitted that the proposal has been sent for final approval to the Headquarters. He expects that the approval shall be received shortly. We direct that the same be cleared, one way or the other, within a period of two weeks. This could enable the tendering process to start immediately thereafter and the project to be completed within six months. As pointed out earlier, if the Simple Approach Lighting System is in place, the threshold visibility would be reduced from 1300 metres to 1000 metres and that would be of great assistance to aircrafts approaching Srinagar Airport.
Division Bench further observed that "We are also informed that the setting up of the Simple Approach Lighting System would be easily integrated with the category -II ILS, which has to be set up on runway 31. The survey data of the area at lower levels has already been submitted by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. Mr Bhan submits that insofar as the Airports Authority of India is concerned, the same has been forwarded to Headquarters for their observation /feasibility status. Division Bench also directed Adv Shamsi appearing for the Air Force submits that an aerial survey is also to be done on their part. The survey data has also been received. They need to analyze the data and to file an affidavit accordingly. The same be done within four weeks.
In the meanwhile, with regard to brick kilns, the operators of these kilns have already indicated that they will voluntarily shut down from 15.11.2017 till 31.3.2018. This is an interim measure. The possibility of re-location would also be considered in the meanwhile in view of the technical requirement given by the Air Force of not having a brick kiln within an 8 Km radius from the central point of the runway. JNF

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