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The state government on Thursday asked departments concerned to act on an “immediate” basis for removal of obstructions in the aircraft approach funnel at Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport.
The missive comes after the airport’s licence expired on June 30.
In a high-level meeting, chief secretary Naveen Kumar reviewed the progress in this regard with the secretaries of departments, including environment and forest, civil aviation, road construction, transport, building construction, Patna Electric Supply Undertaking and commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation.
Several officials of Patna Airport Authority were also present at the meeting.
“The state government is serious in removing all kinds of obstacles that are posing hindrance in the flight operations at the airport. All the departments have been asked to act on immediate basis. Most of the departments have been asked to act within seven to 10 days except for the removal or reduction in the height of private apartments around the airport, which may take some more time,” a senior officer, who attended the meeting, told The Telegraph.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) identified 101 obstacles in the aircraft approach funnel at the Patna airport.
“The work plan for removal of obstructions caused by government property has been prepared and would be acted upon on immediate basis but the obstruction caused by private properties would take some time,” said an official.
PMC had sent notices to 11 private residential apartments around a month ago that were identified as obstructions but only five of them responded with clarification.
The PMC was instructed on Thursday to serve fresh notices on all private establishments that are marked as obstructions.
Sources said one of the most important outcomes of the meeting was instructions to start fresh talks with Indian Railways for removal of obstructions that are caused by the Howrah-Delhi railway line running parallel to the southern boundary of the airport.
“The principal secretary of the civil aviation department has been asked to start fresh talks with the Indian Railways to remove the obstructions caused by the electric poles and high-tension wires at Phulwarisharif railway station,” said another official. The railways had refused to remove these obstacles in all previous attempts.
Earlier, the environment and forest department sent a proposal to the ministry of environment and forest for pruning 2,917 trees at Patna zoo that are marked as obstacles.
“The chief secretary also asked the state forest department to follow up the proposal with the ministry of environment and forest. The secretary of the forest department and officials of Patna Airport Authority were asked to prune the 100 trees, which were identified as most critical obstacles,” said another official.
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