Civil Aviation ministry issues new rules to remove obstacles near airports

A week after the Air India crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has released new draft rules to tighten control over structures that pose a risk to aircraft safety.

The draft, titled Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025, was issued on June 18 and will come into force once published in the Official Gazette.

The rules aim to give authorities the power to take prompt action against buildings and trees that exceed height limits in designated aerodrome zones. This is seen as a proactive step to prevent potential accidents caused by obstructions in flight paths.

"Where any notification has been issued by the Central Government under sub-section (1) of section 18 of the Act and the officer-in-charge of the concerned aerodrome has reason to believe that any building or tree exists in violation of the provisions of the aforesaid notification, he shall serve a copy of the notification on the owner of the building or tree, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedure laid down in sub-section (3) of said section," the draft reads.

Under the draft, any structure found violating the prescribed height limits may be served a notice by the officer-in-charge of an aerodrome. Owners must submit detailed information - including structure dimensions and site plans - within sixty days. Failure to comply could result in enforcement action, including demolition or height reduction.

"The officer-in-charge of the concerned aerodrome shall forthwith send a report of such violation to the Director General, or any officer authorised by him in this behalf," it added.

For physical verification, officers are empowered to enter the premises during daylight hours after informing the owner. In cases of non-cooperation, officers may proceed based on available information and refer the matter to the DGCA.

"Before forwarding the details to the Director General, the officer-in-charge of the aerodrome shall satisfy himself about the correctness of the details and for that purpose, he shall be empowered to enter the premises in question and carry out physical verification of the dimensions of the building or tree, as the case may be, during daylight hours and with reasonable prior notice to the owner, who shall be duty bound to extend full cooperation during such physical verification," it further added.

If there is non-compliance, the officer-in-charge must report the matter to the District Collector, who is then responsible for ensuring the demolition or trimming is carried out in accordance with the order. The procedure will mirror the process used for removing unauthorised constructions. Owners have the right to appeal orders to the First or Second Appellate Officer. Appeals must be filed in the prescribed form along with supporting documents and a fee of Rs 1,000. However, only those who comply with the orders may claim compensation under section 22 of the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024. Any new non-compliant structures built after the notification will not be eligible for compensation.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has invited objections or suggestions from the public within twenty days of the notification's publication. Responses may be sent to the Director-General of Civil Aviation.

On June 12, a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Gujarat's Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The tragedy claimed 241 lives out of 242 onboard, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.