Bhubaneswar: Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAMN), alerting them to alter their flight path while approaching the airport after it discovered height violation by a high-rise along the airport’s funnel path.The contents of the NOTAMN contain technical details with coordinates of the structure, helping pilots manoeuvre the obstacle.Days before the NOTAMN, BPIA served notice on the director of the real estate firm for building the high rise along the funnel area of the airport, violating height regulations. Besides, the distance of the building is only 3.5 km from the aerodrome reference point.“NOTAMN is issued to increase the obstacle clearance altitude or OCA. The pilot has to sight the runway before penetrating into the OCA range. Because of raised elevation of the building, OCA has been increased by 20 metres,” said a senior airport officer.BPIA officials said the developer had been granted elevation clearance of 87.37m through an NOC in 2019. But it has raised the elevation to 98.907m. The violation was detected on July 17, following an obstacle limitation survey and the notice served on July 31.BPIA has sent copies of the notice (seen by TOI) to the DGCA, urban development department, commerce and transport department, vice-chairperson of BDA, commissioner of BMC, member (operations) of Safdarjung Airport, New Delhi, and regional executive director of east region, AAI.11.5m infringement of airport structure The notice stated that in accordance with rule 3 of aircraft (demolition of obstructions caused by buildings and trees), rules, 2026, the building is identified as an obstruction as per obstacle survey report.“The permissible top elevation at site is 87.37m as per NOC issued on Feb 25, 2019. There is infringement of 11.53m,” the notice read.Despite repeated attempts, there was no response from the developer.
