Mumbai Collector Apologises for Incomplete Flight Path Obstruction Removal
The Mumbai Suburban District Collector, Rajendra Kshirsagar, tendered an unconditional apology to the Bombay High Court on Monday for failing to fully remove obstructions from the flight path at Mumbai International Airport. In his affidavit, Kshirsagar acknowledged that, while significant progress had been made, the complete removal of all identified structures had not been achieved.
“I most respectfully tender an unconditional apology for not achieving 100% removal of the identified structures. However, significant progress has been made in eliminating obstructions,” the affidavit read. The Collector also confirmed that Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) had been kept informed at every stage of the process and that efforts would continue to ensure the removal of all remaining obstructions as quickly as possible. This affidavit came in response to a 2019 public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Yeshwant Shenoy, who raised concerns over safety risks posed by high-rise buildings in proximity to the airport that had exceeded the prescribed height limits. In August 2022, the Bombay High Court had directed the collector’s office to enforce compliance with the height restrictions and report progress.
During the hearing, Shenoy accused the state government of facilitating the construction of buildings around the airport, claiming that the state was colluding with developers. However, the bench, consisting of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharti Dangre, scheduled the next hearing for March 11. Kshirsagar’s affidavit detailed some progress in the clearance process. Several housing societies had complied with demolition notices by removing structures such as water tanks, antennas, and staircases. Nevertheless, portions of concrete structures still exceeded height limits, and some buildings have requested additional time or appealed demolition orders to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Joint inspections were conducted on February 7 and 8, 2025, with MIAL overseeing the process. Authorities are also coordinating with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure full compliance. On February 7, 2025, the collector’s office issued fresh notices to the remaining seven non-compliant structures, giving owners 15 days to remove the obstructions or face coercive action. The affidavit requests an additional eight weeks from the court to complete the enforcement process.
