Safety concerns at Bhubaneswar airport: BMC likely to take action on illegal constructions

Rising safety concerns around Bhubaneswar airport prompted the city’s Mayor Sulochana Das to address issues related to tall trees and illegal constructions nearby on Sunday. The situation, which may affect aircraft take-offs and landings, has led to joint surveys and coordinated planning by the authorities concerned.

Also Read: Safety concerns loom over Bhubaneswar Airport amid illegal constructions and tree obstructions

In response to growing concerns about air safety, Bhubaneswar Mayor Das has commented on the pressing issue of tree obstructions and unauthorised structures near the airport. Speaking about the problem, she pointed out that trees within the OUAT (Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology) campus have grown excessively tall and are obstructing safe aircraft movement.

Ahmedabad plane crash sparks concern

The Mayor referred to the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed the lives of at least 274 people. She emphasised that proactive steps must be taken to avoid similar incidents in Bhubaneswar.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has already convened a joint meeting with the airport (BPIA) authorities to discuss the issue well in advance.

Following the meeting, specific responsibilities will be assigned to various departments, as per the mayor. A dedicated survey team from the airport is currently assessing the nearby areas, along with Urban Metropolitan Surveillance Team in Bhubaneswar, which has already begun its evaluation.

Mayor Das assured that once the survey findings are available, the civic body (BMC) will take swift and structured action to address the risks.

“Some trees (coconut and others) inside OUAT premises have become very taller. There are also buildings which are likely to create problems for the planes to take off or to land. A committee meeting was held nearly 15 days ago, much before the recent mishap. Steps will be taken as per the committee’s report,” the Mayor said to mediapersons.