Division Bench of State High Court has taken suo moto case of asking the Airport Authority of India to take immediate steps of installing Simple Approach Lighting System (SALS) at Srinagar in order to improve the visibility that facilitates landing and taking off of air carriers. The suo moto hearing turned into PIL and the Division Bench invited the attention of the AAI towards it commitment of installing the SALS made in its affidavit submitted to the court sometimes back.
Actually, there is the question of some brick kilns being installed in the proximity of the runway which emit smoke and consequently reduce visibility. Large number of passengers complained that they are put to too much inconvenience owing to the airlines suspending flights to and from Srinagar airport owing to poor visibility. This case was seriously taken up by the Division Bench. The court has also asked the IAF Srinagar to make low flights to find out whether the smoke emitted by brick kilns is really posing threat to visibility and to report which areas come under the pall of this smoke so that brick kilns would be banned in these areas.
It is a matter of concern how the brick kilns were permitted to become functional in the suburbs of an area that is crucial to the security of the State meaning the Srinagar airport? Secondly, why the environment authorities have not physically visited these kilns and tried to find whether these would be harmful to the aircrafts landing or taking off from Srinagar airport. This should have been done before permission was given to the kilns to become functional. Srinagar airport is international airport and as such it should have all the necessary equipment needed for an international airport. The SALS should be installed immediately and no risks are to be taken come what may. We would also like to say that since Srinagar airport has been partially declared as international airport, yet functionally it is not so. Except for the fact that direct flight is made available to Hajj pilgrims only, that would not entitle the airport to be called a real and functional international airport. Flights to more important places in the world should start from Srinagar.
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