Stop Construction of High Rise Buildings Around IGI Airport: Delhi High Court

New Delhi, July 30: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued an order to stop construction of high rise buildings around the Indira Gandhi International Airport, until further orders. The matter will be next heard on September 17. The court passed the order while hearing a PIL which stresses that there are several high rise buildings and hotels around the IGI airport, which are very dangerous in terms of safety of flying aircraft here.

The court has also directed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), and Noida Authority to ensure that no new sale of properties takes place near the airport until further orders.

The petitioner has claimed that the obstacles had to be audited every two years, but the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted only two examinations since 2007.

Defending itself, the DGCA said that it has identified 369 obstacles around the Delhi Airport and was in the process of getting them removed. The high court then asked the Delhi International Airport Ltd. to issue public notices to the residents of the high rise buildings around the airport, citing safety concerns about the building being in the path of flights taking off and landing from Delhi.