Ministry of Civil Aviation (Height Restrictions for Safeguarding of Aircraft Operations) Rules, 2015 (30 Sep 2015)

What the rules govern

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (Height Restrictions for Safeguarding of Aircraft Operations) Rules, 2015 apply to all civil and defence aerodromes included in Schedules II to VII, as amended from time to time. An aerodrome includes airports, airstrips, and communication, navigation and surveillance facilities used for aviation in India.

The controls cover buildings, masts, towers, chimneys, poles, transmission lines, elevated roads, viaducts, bridges, elevated railway lines, wind farms and other man-made structures. They also apply to planting or growing trees.

Height and construction restrictions

Key restrictions include:

• Within less than 20 kilometres of the aerodrome reference point, a structure generally cannot be constructed or raised, and a tree cannot be planted or grown, without a height clearance no objection certificate.
• A structure cannot exceed the height specified in Schedule II within the relevant area. Trees that are likely to exceed that height are also restricted.
• In the protected areas listed in Schedules II to VII, structures and trees are prohibited except for essential navigation aids and other installations required for aviation purposes.
• No objection certificates are also required for level roads and level railway lines within one kilometre of an airport boundary wall.

Approval process

For civil aerodromes, a designated officer of the Airports Authority of India issues the no objection certificate on behalf of the Central Government. For defence aerodromes, an authorised defence officer issues it, subject to applicable conditions.

Applications concerning civil aerodromes must be made to the designated officer through the No Objection Certificate Application System. The Airports Authority of India processes civil aerodrome applications through nine offices, including the office at Chennai airport. The applicant must bear the cost if empanelled engineers or surveyors physically verify the site's elevation and coordinates.

Local planning approval and maps

The Airports Authority of India issues colour coded zoning maps showing permitted heights within less than 20 kilometres of civil aerodrome reference points. Local, municipal, town planning and development authorities may approve construction according to those mapped heights, but cannot do so for approach, take-off or transitional areas, or for locations marked as requiring a no objection certificate.

Local authorities must also apply existing building rules and certify that the proposed floor area and height remain within the permitted limits. Airport operators and local authorities are responsible for checking and monitoring the approved height and location.

Appeals

A person, planning authority or airport operator dissatisfied with a designated officer's permitted-height decision may appeal to the appellate committee. Appeals are received and processed at the Airports Authority of India headquarters in New Delhi.