Imphal, January 06 2010: Owing to necessity for expansion of landing facilities and on-going renovation works, night landing of flights at the Tulihal Airport is likely to be put on hold for the time being.

An informed source said two Airport Maintenance Engineers under the Director General of Civil Aviation had conducted spot inspection of ground landing facilities at Tulihal Airport on December 12 and 13 .

It is also informed that Airport Authority of India officials had already intimated to the State Govt regarding urgent need for replacement of existing ground landing facilities with modern equipment as such facilities at present do not commensurate with the requirement for landing of aeroplanes at night.

While reminding that under the existing circumstances (facilities) planes are not allowed to take-off after 4 pm, the source exuded confidence that taking into account passenger volume there would be favourable response once night landing of flights become a reality.

Stating that at present landing of aeroplanes in Tulihal Airport in dependent on the directive of the Meteorological Dept located within the Airport premises, the source described as outdated machinery/equipment of the Met Department besides suggesting that replacement of the equipment with new and modern gadgetries should be given top priority in order to facilitate night landing of flight at the earliest.

Further confiding that under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary (Govt of Manipur) an Airfield Environment Protection Committee has been formed with the General Manager (Aero) of Imphal Airport as member secretary, the source also said top officials of the police department, Commissioner ranked officials of various departments and chairperson of the Imphal Municipal Council are the other members of the Committee.

Purpose of setting up the Committee is said to be related to streamline/check disposal of animal carcasses and household wastes in and around Imphal city as unchecked disposal could draw attention of large birds, including vulture and sometimes lead to flight crashes when the birds are hit during flight.

The Committee members are supposed to meet every sixth month to update the situation, it added.

Regarding the airport expansion programme, the source said with the exception of standing properties, land compensation amount had been paid already with the standing properties barricaded with barbed wire fencing awaiting financial clearance.

Speculating that an amount of Rs 2.72 crores would be necessary to clear compensation of standing properties, the source maintained that till the pending amount is cleared night landing of flight is unlikely to materialise.

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