SrinagarThe Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday was informed that the work on installation of Simple Approach Lighting System (SALS) at Srinagar International Airport has been allotted to a company and would be completed with six months.
The statement was made by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) through its counsel before a division bench of the court comprising Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey.
After the tendering process for the project, allotment order has been issued on January 27 and as per the statement by the counsel of AAI, the work would be completed by July 27 this year.
The Court had directed the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to proceed with the execution of works on International Airport Srinagar and do not wait for court orders so that visibility is improved for smooth air service.
The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation that it has initiated on its own motion, seeking to provide necessary facilities to passengers travelling to and from Kashmir by air.
The PIL, initiated suo-moto, has been posted for further consideration on January 29.
During one of the previous hearings, the AAI and the IAF said that they have taken up the issue of setting up of SALS to increasing the visibility.
As a stop gap measure, it has been suggested by the Air Force and the Airports Authority of India that 300 metres of land, which is available within the boundary before runway 31, could be utilized for setting up a SALS. If this is done, the minimum visibility would be reduced from 1300 metres to 1000 metres. This arrangement be implemented immediately, the court had said.
The PIL was initiated by Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and on December 14, Chief Justice had directed its registration as suo-moto PIL. In this petition, the judge noticed that the AAI has, prima facie, failed to take notice of hardships and difficulties being regularly faced by the people, who travel to and fro Kashmir by air.
In this PIL, the judge noticed that the AAI has, prima facie, failed to take notice of hardships and difficulties being regularly faced by the people, who travel to and fro Kashmir by air.
The judge also noticed that the authorities have, prima facie, failed to take appropriate remedial measures by upgrading the lighting system and installing the required gadgets at the Srinagar airport and, consequently has failed to discharge public duty.
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