New Delhi [India], June 19 (HBTV): A week after the Air India crash in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued new draft rules aimed at tightening control over structures that pose a threat to aircraft safety near airports.

Titled Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025, the draft was released on June 18 and will come into effect once published in the Official Gazette.

The proposed rules empower authorities to take swift action against buildings and trees that exceed permissible height limits in aerodrome zones, with the goal of preventing future aviation accidents due to physical obstructions in flight paths.

‘Where any notification has been issued by the Central Government under sub-section (1) of section 18 of the Act and the officer-in-charge of the concerned aerodrome has reason to believe that any building or tree exists in violation of the provisions of the aforesaid notification, he shall serve a copy of the notification on the owner of the building or tree, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedure laid down in sub-section (3) of said section,’ the draft states.

Under the new rules, any structure found violating the prescribed height limits may receive a formal notice from the officer-in-charge of an aerodrome. Property owners will be required to submit detailed information, including dimensions and site plans, within sixty days. Failure to comply could lead to enforcement measures such as demolition or height reduction.

‘The officer-in-charge of the concerned aerodrome shall forthwith send a report of such violation to the Director General, or any officer authorised by him in this behalf,’ the document adds.

To verify violations, officers will be empowered to enter the premises during daylight hours with reasonable prior notice to the owner. In cases of non-cooperation, officers may proceed with available data and refer the matter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

‘Before forwarding the details to the Director General, the officer-in-charge of the aerodrome shall satisfy himself about the correctness of the details and for that purpose, he shall be empowered to enter the premises in question and carry out physical verification of the dimensions of the building or tree, as the case may be, during daylight hours and with reasonable prior notice to the owner, who shall be duty bound to extend full cooperation during such physical verification,’ the rules state.

If a property owner fails to comply, the officer-in-charge must report the case to the District Collector, who will be responsible for carrying out demolition or trimming actions, following the standard procedure used for unauthorised construction removals.

Owners will have the right to appeal orders to the First or Second Appellate Officer. Appeals must be submitted in the prescribed format, accompanied by supporting documents and a fee of INR 1,000. However, compensation under Section 22 of the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 will only be available to those who comply with orders. Any non-compliant structures built after the notification will be ineligible for compensation.

The Ministry has invited objections and suggestions from the public within twenty days of the draft notification’s publication. Responses may be addressed to the Director General of Civil Aviation.

The rules come in the wake of the June 12 tragedy, when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The accident claimed 241 of the 242 lives onboard, including that of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

(ANI)