CONSTRUCTION OF ROB STOPPED OVER SAFETY CONCERNS
ALLAHABAD: A Rs 37.28 crore railway over bridge (ROB) being constructed on the Begum Bazar-Bhagwatpur road is in trouble. Indian Air Force (IAF) officials have forced the construction work to stop pointing out that the work was undertaken without a no objection certificate (NoC) and would greatly undermine safety of aircrafts and passengers.
ALLAHABAD : A Rs 37.28 crore railway over bridge (ROB) being constructed on the Begum BazarBhagwatpur road is in trouble. Indian Air Force (IAF) officials have forced the construction work to stop pointing out that the work, which is already 80 per cent complete, was undertaken without a no objection certificate (NOC) and would greatly undermine safety of aircrafts and passengers.
Air Force authorities have clarified that their objection to the railway over bridge was twofold.
Firstly, it will put the lives of passengers at risk as it violates laid down obstruction criterion for airfields. Secondly, it will also compromise national security as the useful runway length will reduce and most of the fighter aircraft will not be able to use this airfield, the IAF have pointed out in a communique issued on the ROB. “This is due to Railway Over Bridge (ROB) being constructed on the aircraft approach path, 500 metres from Bamrauli runway. Because of its height it is a dangerous obstruction for the aircraft landing or taking off. This will also defeat the purpose of developing the Civil Air Terminal at Allahabad as it imposes severe operational restriction,” the IAF has pointed out in the communique issued by wing commander Arvind Sinha, regional PRO and spokesperson (defence), Allahabad region.
Moreover, as per Gazette of India (GSR 751) and Indian Aircraft Act 1934, NOC from the Indian Air Force/ AAI is mandatory before undertaking any work in the vicinity of an airfield for ensuring necessary aviation safety. The construction of Bhagwatpur ROB is being undertaken without obtaining NOC from IAF and this is despite the objections by the Indian Air Force in the past, it added. Wing commander Sinha said that the IAF objections had also been communicated to Uttar Pradesh Bridge Corporation Limited (UPBCL) and civil administration on several occasions.
“Despite these communications, the construction work continued and now had reached a stage where the bridge was adversely affecting the usability of aerodrome and safety of flights at Allahabad. For ensuring necessary citizen and aviation safety, the Indian Air Force has again taken up the case with UPBCL, Indian Railway and Civil Administration for immediately stopping further construction of this bridge,” he added.
Chief project Manager, UPBCL Satish Kumar said that following the objections of the IAF officials, a proposal to seek a no objection certificate from them has been moved. “The NOC is to be issued from the union ministry of defence. The ROB is being constructed for public benefit and to ensure smooth flow of traffic during Kumbh. It is to be completed by October 30,” he said. Divisional Railway Manager, Allahabad Amitaba said that the construction of ROB was being undertaken by the state government and it’s the state government that has to seek the NOC. “Railways just have to undertake construction next to the railway tracks,” he added.
Allahabad commissioner Ashish Goel conceded that the construction work of the ROB concerned had been stopped.