New Constructions Rules Near Airport Areas I What is

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The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad, which struck a doctors' hostel at B.J. Medical College, has highlighted the critical importance of stringent regulations for urban planning around airports. While the hostel building reportedly adhered to existing norms, the incident has sparked a debate on declaring areas around airports as "no construction zones." This briefing reviews the rationale behind such regulations, the current international, national, and state-level guidelines in India, and their implementation, particularly in Maharashtra, to ensure aviation safety and mitigate ground risks.

The Ahmedabad Incident and its Implications
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft "struck a doctors’ hostel at B.J. Medical College – a residential locality situated on straight-line distance around 6.4 km." This event, despite the building seemingly being "as per the regulation and norms," has "sparked the debate that the areas around airport must be declared as no construction zone." This incident underscores the need to examine:

Existing urban planning norms by the Indian government.
How these norms are implemented, specifically referencing Maharashtra's UDCSPR 2020 and Height Restrictions Rules 2015.

International Guidelines
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): Under the Chicago Convention, ICAO sets "global standards" for aerodrome safety and surrounding areas. "Provision for the safety of Aerodromes and area around it are mentioned in Annex 14 Of this guidelines." An "Aerodrome" is defined as an "area defined for the arrival, departure, and surface movement of aircraft. It also includes buildings, installations, and equipment for air services. This area could be on land or water."

Indian Regulations
Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India (AAI): India's regulations are "aligned with ICAO standards" and are enforced by these bodies.
Height Restrictions for Safeguarding of Aircraft Operations Rules, 2015: Issued on September 30, 2015, these rules "apply to all civil and defense aerodromes listed in Schedule 3 to Schedule 7" and "regulate the construction of structures and the planting or growth of trees in areas surrounding airports to ensure the safety of aircraft operations."
Color Coded Zoning Map (CCZM): The AAI prepares these maps, which "indicate areas around an airport in different colour-coded grids." "Different color indicates different permissible heights," measured "above mean sea level."
Obstacle Free Zone (OFZ): This is the "immediately surrounding area around airports" and is a "defined volume of airspace around an aerodrome that must be kept free of obstacles, except for essential objects to ensure safe aircraft operations during takeoff, landing, and taxiing."
Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS): These are "imaginary surfaces defined to limit building heights to prevent obstructions." OLS include various surfaces such as "Take-off climb surface, Approach Surface, Inner Horizontal Surface, Conical Surface, etc."
No Objection Certificate (NOC) Requirement: For "major civil and defense airports," no structure can be built "within a 20-kilometer radius of the Aerodrome Reference Point without a NOC for height clearance from Airport Authority of India."

Maharashtra's Regulation: UDCPSR 2020
Regulation No. 3.1.9 - Restrictions in the vicinity of Airport: This specific regulation in Maharashtra's Urban Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR-2020) aims for "the control of building height and the type of activities permitted near airports to ensure aviation safety."
CCZM Adherence: Local authorities can only grant building permission "strictly as per the Colour Coded Zoning Map (CCZM)." The "maximum permissible height for construction must not exceed the height specified in the CCZM for that location."
Mandatory NOCs: The UDCPR-2020 makes it mandatory for Local Authorities to obtain "No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) before granting building permission.

Prohibited Activities: Certain activities that "may encourage a large collection of 'high flying birds, like eagles and hawks'," such as a "slaughter house / abattoir / butcher house or activities like depositing of garbage," are "explicitly prohibited within a 10 km radius from the aerodrome reference point."

Cases where "existing structures or trees exceed specified heights or other non-compliance issues are dealt with according to the Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions caused by Buildings and Trees etc.) Rules, 1994."