MoCA's experts committee to review building heights within radius of airports

By Ashoke Raj
New Delhi [India], October 27 : The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has constituted a committee to review height regulations applicable for buildings within the radius of airports.
"MoCA constituted a committee to examine aerodrome safeguarding policy and regulations vis-a-vis the development of cities around the airports," MoCA order reads.
The experts' committee of MoCA has sought views and suggestions from the representatives of town planning authorities and developers associations including other stakeholders about the height-related issues nearby the area of the airport in Mumbai in the last week of October.
"The Committee is also going to take views from the planning authorities including Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA), and City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) in these matters," the Committee meeting schedule read.
The Committee has met with all developer associations - CREDAI, NAREDCO, and PEATA in which height-related issues were taken in depth.
The issue of implementation of height restrictions due to high-frequency communication equipment at Juhu and Dahisar was also taken up with the Committee with the suggestion to either mount it at a higher height or shift it to other alternative locations.
Speaking to ANI, Kunal Chheda who represents real estate developer associations said, "We have raised all issues before the Committee of Experts constituted by MoCA to review building height regulations and are hoping for early resolution in this policy matter."
"As far as implementation of this additional restriction at Juhu and Dahisar is concerned, it is a classic case of lack of coordination and communication amongst and between central departments and state departments, due to which real estate projects, its developers, customers, and rehabilitation members are stuck. Hopefully, now with the launch of PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan which seeks to resolve such inter-departmental issues, we hope for an early resolution in this implementation logjam," he added.
As per the developer associations presentation in the MoCA experts committee meeting, more than 300 projects who have paid a substantial premium, taken approvals, and created third-party rights in favour of lenders or customers are stuck for many months.
On the above issues, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi met aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and submitted before the minister about the residential redevelopment scheme and height related issues around the area of Mumbai airport and its development affected due to the airport radar.
"Even the Maharashtra State Government through the Urban Development department has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation highlighting the sensitivity of the matter and seeking further clarification on its implementation, whether intended by the Ministry and AAI on a prospective or retrospective basis," Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena MP told ANI.
In view of the seriousness of the matter, the Maharashtra Government has written a letter to the aviation ministry asking it to take cognisance of the matter. Due to these height restrictions, permissible building heights for plots within one km radius from high-frequency transmitter radar at Juhu and within 3-4 km radius from high-frequency receiver radar at Dahisar have drastically reduced.
Even the Maharashtra State Government through the Urban Development department has written to the Ministry of Civil Aviation highlighting the sensitivity of the matter and has sought further clarification on its implementation, whether intended by the Ministry and AAI on a prospective or retrospective basis.
"We had requested that opportunity may be given to the Government of Maharashtra (GoM) and its town planning authorities such as MCGM, MMRDA, SRA, MHADA, CIDCO to make a presentation to the Committee of Experts headed by its chairman Major, Air Chief (retd.) Fali Homi, constituted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to examine Aerodrome Safeguarding Policy and Regulations vis-a-vis development of cities around airports, highlighting the issues faced in the development of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) along with measures to mitigate these hardships," Maharashtra Urban Development Secretary letter reads.
MoCA experts committee on height-related issues headed by Fali Homi has sought views and suggestions from the planning authorities and developer associations in this regard.