Official guidance, Tamil Nadu land law
Aerodrome Safeguarding Circular (ADSAC) 02 of 2024, Issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Height Clearance Around Airport
The Airports Authority of India, Department of Aerodrome Safeguarding issued Aerodrome Safeguarding Circular 02 of 2024, effective 1 January 2024, to standardise the procedure for issuing No Objection Certificates for the height of structures around airports. The circular cancels Aerodrome Safeguard...
What the circular governs
Aerodrome Safeguarding Circular 02 of 2024 sets out procedures used by the Airports Authority of India to examine applications for height clearance around airports. Height controls safeguard airspace for safe and regular aircraft operations and help prevent obstacles from making an aerodrome unusable.
The Airports Authority of India issues clearances for civil aerodromes on behalf of the Central Government. Its Designated Officers also issue clearances for State owned and private aerodromes licensed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Who may be affected
Aerodrome Safeguarding Circular 02 of 2024 directly applies to personnel who process and issue height clearances. It also matters to applicants proposing structures such as:
- Buildings, chimneys and poles.
- Power transmission lines, flyovers, railway lines and roads.
- Billboards and wireless communication masts.
- Wind farms and windmills.
The Airports Authority of India operates nine No Objection Certificate offices, including Chennai. Each office examines applications and either issues a height clearance or rejects the application after examination.
Online application and public records
The No Objection Certificate Application System is a paperless online service available through the Airports Authority of India website or at nocas2.aai.aero/nocas. Applicants upload scanned documents and undertakings, receive email updates, track progress and download issued certificates from their dashboard.
Local bodies and members of the public can view issued certificates and rejected cases through the system. The system calculates permissible top elevation using surveyed site coordinates, site elevation and relevant airport safeguarding criteria.
Key safeguards and automated cases
- A certificate automatically stands cancelled if it was not duly issued.
- A certificate is not duly issued where incorrect applicant data or documents affected the permissible top elevation calculation.
- A certificate is also not duly issued where relevant approved criteria were omitted and this affected the calculation.
- Automated settlement applies only to specified building, windmill and mast cases meeting the stated location and elevation conditions.
- For an automatically settled case, the system issues an unsigned letter stating that a No Objection Certificate from the Airports Authority of India is not required.
- Airport operators must verify sites and help ensure that unauthorised construction does not take place at an airport or in its vicinity.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
How can I apply for airport height clearance?
Apply online through the No Objection Certificate Application System on the Airports Authority of India website or at nocas2.aai.aero/nocas. The process is paperless, and scanned documents and undertakings are uploaded electronically.
Can I check whether a property or project has received height clearance?
The No Objection Certificate Application System allows local bodies and the public to view issued certificates and rejected cases from its home page.
Does every building application require a certificate from the Airports Authority of India?
Not necessarily. Certain building and windmill applications meeting the circular's automated settlement criteria receive a system generated letter stating that a certificate from the Airports Authority of India is not required.
Can an airport height clearance be cancelled because the application contained incorrect information?
Yes. A clearance automatically stands cancelled if it was not duly issued, including where incorrect data or documents affected the calculation of the permissible top elevation.
