Houses Around Begumpet Airport Get AAI Notice

The notices were issued under the Centre’s draft Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions caused by Buildings and Trees etc.) Rules, 2025, published in June, which empower the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to mandate demolition or height reduction if structures are deemed unsafe for aircraft movement.

For residents, the notices have triggered uncertainty and anger. “We have lived here for more than 35 years with valid occupancy certificates. Now suddenly our home is labelled a safety risk. Where is the fairness in this?” asked resident Shobha Rani.

Another neighbour, retired railway employee Krishna Murthy, said he had invested his retirement savings into his three-storey house. “If they demolish it, how will my family survive? There is no clarity on rehabilitation or compensation.”

Residents point out that Begumpet Airport has been largely inactive since 2008, when commercial flights were shifted to Shamshabad. Today, the airport handles only VIP, training, and cargo flights. “When it barely functions, why should thousands of people living in its shadow suffer this fear?” asked Sunil Vantepaka, a local shopkeeper.

The Cantonment Vikas Manch, which has taken up the issue, argues that relocating operations to Dundigal is the only fair solution. “Begumpet is one of the city’s most densely-populated zones, packed with schools, hospitals and housing. Notices issued in the name of safety put poor residents at risk of displacement. If safety is the concern, move the operations to Dundigal, where there is abundant land and fewer residents,” said Ravinder Sanki, general secretary of the forum.

Under the draft rules, property owners identified as violators must submit structural drawings and site plans for scrutiny. If deemed an obstruction, compliance could mean demolition or reducing height within 60 days. “Two months is impossible. Families with children, elderly people cannot just pack up and leave,” said homemaker Meena Joshi, who lives in a flagged building near New Bhoiguda.

Residents also worry about inconsistency. Some say their properties were cleared by local authorities years ago but are now being re-examined under central rules. “We built it with GHMC permission. How can another authority now call it illegal?” said Mohammed Saleem, another resident.

The civil aviation ministry has invited objections and suggestions on the draft rules, but for residents of Secunderabad, the notices feel like a warning of worse to come. Until clarity emerges, they say, their everyday life is clouded with fear of demolition.