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Airport Authority of India to study feasibility of height relaxation

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) will carry out a study on the proposal of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) seeking relaxation in the height of buildings in Bandra-Kurl

The Airport Authority of India (AAI) will carry out a study on the proposal of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) seeking relaxation in the height of buildings in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Wadala.

Currently, the height restriction for BKC ranges from 40 metres to 80 metres and the MMRDA had requested the AAI grant a height relaxation of 90 metres in BKC and up to 200 metres in Wadala both at a radius of 8 km from the airport.

Confirming the same, U.P.S. Madan, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, said, “We have been told that AAI has roped in international consultants to study the proposal of MMRDA and the study has also started, so we expect to get the final word on the height relaxation in the coming six months.”

According to MMRDA officials, owing to the height restrictions they haven’t able to exploit the total area of every plot efficiently.

The height restrictions near airports are imposed for two reasons. The area falls in the trajectory of the runway and tall buildings could be a hindrance in take-offs and landings. Secondly, the restrictions are imposed so that there is no interference with radar signals.

The plan to have height relaxation was proposed by the MMRDA a couple of years ago. However, in 2014 the civil aviation ministry had rejected the proposal of the MMRDA to give height relaxation in BKC and Wadala by installing an additional radar on top of the Eastern Freeway’s twin tunnels located in Panjarpol.

After this, in 2015, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had communicated the same request to the civil aviation minister for granting permission for height relaxation in the BKC and Wadala.

Once the proposal of height relaxation is approved it will be beneficial for MMRDA as it owns large land parcels in BKC and Wadala.

The MMRDA has around 34,000 square metres of land parcel in BKC, out of which last week it announced the auction of around 12,486 square metres of the commercial land parcel. It expects to fund major infrastructure projects in the city from the funds generated by leasing out its plots.

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