The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. On Wednesday, the court rebuked the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation for its repeated failure to submit a timely response regarding the matter, despite numerous adjournments.
The division bench, consisting of Justices Nitin Sambre and Abhay Mantri, expressed their frustration over the significant inconvenience caused to passengers due to the ongoing runway recarpeting at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport. The court emphasised that the primary concern is not the technical intricacies of the recarpeting but rather the substantial negative impact on Nagpur’s economic growth and passenger experience.
In their stern remarks, the Justices highlighted the broader economic ramifications, noting that the disruption has led to rescheduled flights and has adversely affected the city’s development prospects. The court urged the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to expedite the recarpeting process and minimise the duration of the runway closure.
The court’s criticism was compounded by the absence of KG Infrastructures Limited, the company responsible for the recarpeting work. Although the company was duly notified, it failed to appear before the court. Rather than resorting to punitive measures, the judges chose to accept a suggestion from AAI counsel, Deoul Pathak, to issue a formal communication to KG Infrastructures, urging their presence at the next hearing.
During the proceedings, Kartik Shukul, appointed as amicus curiae, presented evidence, including news reports, which indicated potential delays due to the monsoon. Senior counsel MG Bhangde, representing the Multimodal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) and the airport manager, submitted affidavits detailing the situation. Bhangde clarified that while the runway was not closed continuously for eight hours, there were scheduled closures of two to three hours on various days.
The bench has instructed Bhangde to provide a detailed update on all pending issues related to the airport’s development at the next hearing. Additionally, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been directed to submit a formal response within a week. This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced in balancing infrastructure development with operational efficiency, and underscores the court’s commitment to addressing these critical issues in a timely manner.
