Risky runways

Patna and Jammu, both nightmarish landing strips for pilots, have emerged as the most dangerous runways in an evaluation conducted by the aviation ministry following the Mangalore crash last month. The runway length at both airports is less than that of Mangalore (8,000 ft), leaving no room for any error or emergency. The Patna runway is so constrained that the authorities fear a Mangalore-like situation there could mean the aircraft would breach the wall before ramming into a train as a railway track is just beyond the 6,000-ft long runway. The aviation ministry has decided to again ask the Bihar government to act fast on its earlier advice to shift the airport to another site. Jammu, on the other hand, has a slightly longer runway, at 6,700 feet, but aircraft still have to apply screeching brakes as they negotiate a sharp turn to make an approach. A longer turn on this airfield could mean entering Pakistani airspace which is only 6 nautical miles away. After the Mangalore crash last month, the aviation ministry conducted a study on the most dangerous runways and named 11 airports—Leh, Kullu, Shimla, Port Blair, Agartala, Lengpui, Calicut, Mangalore, Jammu, Patna and Latur—as risky. Following that, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sent teams of experts to these airports for inspection. Most of these airports are situated in difficult terrain where extending the runway is impossible. In Kullu, for instance, the Beas flows on either ends of the runway. The only way to extend the airstrip is to build a bridge over the river and link it to the airstrip. Almost a week after the list was prepared for priority inspection, a top official said, “In other places, certain safety measures can be taken but Patna and Jammu do not offer much scope. Patna airport has a botanical garden with tall trees on the approach side of the runway and a railway track running on the other end. Trees can’t be cut and the railway line can’t be shifted. As a result, planes have to land within the 6,000 feet and have no room for error. We have been asking the state government to shift the airport to a different site.’’ In fact, an alternative site has already been identified at Bitah, where there is a defence airport that sees one or two flights operating in a week. The Airports Authority of India has sought 250-300 acres from the state government to build a civil enclave there besides extending the runway. “In two years, the defence airport could be ready for commercial flights and smaller aircraft could operate at the existing Patna airport,’’ an official said. A source said the shifting is delayed due to political considerations—a section of the ruling party is known to favour a top state leader’s constituency as the location for the new airport. In Jammu, the approach path is a daily hazard for pilots. “From 2002, attempts are being made to extend the 6,700-foot-long runway to 8,000 feet, but the defence forces that control the airport are not giving the approval,’’ said an official.