48 Highrise Buildings Near Airport To Be Demolished; Know Why

Mumbai: As many as 48 highrise buildings near the Mumbai International airport will be demolished.

Bombay High Court on Friday issued the demolition order to Mumbai’s collector, asking them to comply with the Director General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) directive.

The highrise buildings were constructed above a specified height, in violation of norms laid out for premises in the vicinity of the airport.

The division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik pulled up the collector for shifting responsibility of demolition to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), saying that he has to do something about this ‘menace’.

Advocate Yashwant Shenoy had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in which he raised concerns over dangers posed by tall buildings near the airport.

The two-member bench asked the authorities to disconnect electricity and water supply to the buildings which have been issued notices for height violation.

The airport, operated by Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), conducts periodic surveys and identified 137 obstacles (buildings/structures) in 2010, out of which final orders have been passed in 63.

Appeals have been filed in 9 of these cases, while 6 buildings have already complied, leaving these 48 highrises, which have to comply with the order immediately.