Up, up and BEYOND

Up, up and BEYOND
Buildings Can Scale 100 Storeys Around The Airport, Say New Rules
S Kushala | TNN

Bangalore: Devanahalli, which is emerging as the Aerotropolis — airport city — can now have skyscrapers going up 100 storeys. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Union ministry of civil aviation have stretched the vertical limit around Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) from 150 metres to 300 metres, within a radius of 20 km.
A new rule that’s been implemented from June, it has caught the local area planning authority — Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA) — unawares. The authority is still sticking to its rule book, which puts the maximum height at 25 metres around the airport.
The regulation, which kicked in for all major airports across the country, came through after builders petitioned the ministry to increase the height around airports as commercial and residential ventures in the vicinity have proved to be good business.
ROUGHLY 100 FLOORS
In May, the AAI notified that buildings within a radius of 20 km from the airport can go up to a maximum height of 300 metres, which means roughly 100 floors. The Union civil aviation ministry has also notified that the airports will have to issue NoCs based on the new rules. Certain parameters have been fixed for the heights, based on the distance from runways, and landing and take-off paths.
RELATIVELY NEW CONCEPT
Aerotropolis is a relatively new concept, where a self-sustained town emerges around the airport with hospitality industry, commercial ventures and also residential enclaves. Here too, around BIA, the realty sector was buzzing with activity when the airport was commissioned, till the market crash last year. Several big projects have been lined up with the government proposing to create business parks.
The civil aviation ministry had constituted a committee to review the height restrictions in tune with the norms of the International Civil Aviation Organization, before making the changes.
BUT THE SQUABBLE
BIAAPA’s zonal regulations has capped the building height around the airport at 25 metres. And as per rules, any structure in the airport vicinity has to get an NoC from Air Traffic Control (ATC) officials. The revised regulations of AAI has not yet been communicated to the BIAAPA.
“We have no inkling about the new regulations. As far as we know, the limit is 25 metres, for which the airport authorities have to issue the NoC. There is no communication from AAI about the increased height,’’ said BIAAPA officials.
On the other hand, BIAAPA is also hassled that an NoC is required from ATC for every construction in the vicinity. “We have brought this issue to BMRDA. Beyond a certain height, it’s fair to apply the NoC clause. Not for every small building,’’ the officials explained.
THE RELAXATION Distance from runways
Building 100 metres in height: 1.2 km 150 m in height: 1.5 km 200 m high: 1.9 km 300 m high: 2.6 km
Distance from take-off and landing paths
200-m high: 4.5 km away 300-m high: 6.5 km
BUILDERS HAPPY This new amendment will help make vertical progress in terms of tall buildings. It will effectively help in using the available floor area ratio, which was difficult to achieve after leaving the setbacks around the buildings. This policy also makes the rules clear for building heights around BIA, which was ambiguous till now
Roy C J, CMD, CONFIDENT GROUP
TALLER, HIGHER Devanahalli, which is emerging as the Aerotropolis — airport city — can now have skyscrapers going up 100 storeys A new rule has been implemented from June, which has caught the local area planning authority — Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority — unaware In May, the AAI notified that buildings within a radius of 20 km from the airport can go up to a maximum height of 300 metres, which means roughly 100 floors