Thiruvananthapuram: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has prepared a coloured draft map on height restrictions for constructing high-rise buildings in different areas within a 20 km radius of Thiruvananthapuram international airport. The nine-coloured draft map, which extends beyond the city Corporation areas, will be sent to the city corporation and other local bodies seeking their remarks.
Afterwards, it will be finalised with the clearance of officials concerned at the AAI headquarters and sent to the local bodies for adherence, said Thiruvananthapuram airport director Mr. George G Tharakan. According to the draft map, the regions adjacent to the airport have been marked red. Any highrise building to be constructed in this area would require a no-objection-certificate (NOC) from AAI. In the areas marked Blue, an NOC needs to be obtained for constructions above 40 metres from sea level, in areas marked yellow a construction above 68 metres would require an NOC from AAI.
In the Brown marked areas, constructions above 80 metres would require the NOC, in Dark Green areas it is 98 metres, in Orange -marked areas it is 110 metres, in violet areas it is 125 metres and in grey areas it is 140 metres. It may be recalled that a recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General had pointed out serious lapses in following the height norms prescribed by the AAI, and even pointed out five constructions in the city that penetrated the Obstacle Limitation Surface - the areas where there should not be any obstacles for flight movement.
The report had also pointed out that though 15,201 buildings permits were issued by the city Corporation between 2010-11 and 2014-15, it had sought NOCs only in 689 cases. Furthermore, in many cases an NOC was sought only after construction.
