"Matter Of Serious Concern": Bombay HC Seeks Details On Building Permits Granted In Excess Of Height Limit Near Upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport

The Bombay High Court on Thursday sought details on permissions granted for high-rises allegedly in excess of height limit near upcoming Navi Mumbai airportThe Court directed City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra to be added as a respondent to a PIL on obstructions around the airports, following submissions that the planning authority had invited bids way beyond the permissible limit. "Come with information whether any clearance has been granted to structures above 55 meters near the airport", the Chief Justice said to counsel representing the Airport Authority of India. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M. S. Karnik asked the AAI to inform the court about the number of clearances granted for construction of high-rise buildings above 55 meters within 20 kilometres of the Navi Mumbai airport. Advocate Yashwanth Shenoy submitted that CIDCO had invited applications for construction of high-rise structures of nearly 165 meters near the Navi Mumbai airport which was proposed to be a greenfield airport. All these structures will become obstacles near the airport. The court recorded that CIDCO, AAI and the airport with the approval of Ministry of Civil Aviation had decided to grant No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for construction of building taller than the permissible 55.10 meters Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL) and up to 165.10 meters AMSL. The court directed the petitioner to file an affidavit to bring the press note and the letter of the Ministry granting approval on record. It directed AAI to file an affidavit regarding the number of applications received and the number of no-objection certificates granted for construction of structures taller than 55 meters within 20 Kms of the airport. The court will pass orders in this issue after the affidavits are filed by the parties. The PIL filed by Advocate Shenoy also deals with obstacles near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport (CSMIA). Court directed The Collector, Mumbai Suburban to submit an affidavit reporting progress in demolition of 8 structures near the Airport. "We will look into other structures later. As far as the 8 structures are concerned, there is no problem", the court stated. Court will pass directions regarding 15 other structures near the airport after hearing the response of CSMIA as well as DGCA regarding the details of the structures. Case Title: Yeshwanth Shenoy v. The Union of India

"Matter Of Serious Concern": Bombay HC Seeks Details On Building Permits Granted In Excess Of Height Limit Near Upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport

Amisha Shrivastava

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