Monsoon season hit landing at Patna Airport

PATNA: The onset of monsoon might have brought relief to the denizens of the state capital but the authorities at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport here are a worried lot. Reason: The height of trees at the adjoining Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, popularly known as Patna zoo, will reduce the visibility of the runway during rainy season, making it difficult for the aeroplanes to land at the airport.

According to sources at the airport, landing of flights could be impossible if heavy rain lashed the city during monsoon period. The officials of the zoo stopped pruning of the 2917 trees last week after CM Nitish Kumar's concern over the depleting greenery. It is likely to add to the problem of short runway at the Patna airport, despite the fact that it is equipped with the Instrument Landing System, ILS CAT-1, that helps aeroplanes land safely during poor weather conditions when visibility is reduced below 1,600 metres.

According to an official at the meteorological department, monsoon has reached Bihar and the visibility at the airport is likely to go down in the days to come. "Heavy rain is expected in the coming days and visibility could be reduced to 500 metres during monsoon season. Cloud formation also reduces visibility," he said.

An airport official said the minimum visibility of 2800 metres is required for an aeroplane to land at any airport. During rainy season, the visibility sometimes drops to as low as 500 metres. An airport runway should have a standard length of 8,000 feet. But the Patna airport runway is only 1954 metres long. The approach funnel of the runway is further reduced due to the big trees at the zoo, he explained.

As the airport has a railway track on the one side and Patna zoo on the other, there is no room for error. Last year, it was declared one of the most dangerous airports in the country.

Ravikant, principal secretary, state civil aviation department, said, "There is no official communication so far from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) or Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regarding the closure notice to the Patna airport."

It may be mentioned that the DGCA had set June 15 deadline for the Patna airport to get things in place for the safe landing of aeroplanes.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Patna-airport-fears-monsoon-wading/articleshow/14286569.cms