Can we have a safer airport in Mangalore?

From Sources by: Victor D’Souza, Doha
Bellevision Media Network

Doha, 01 June 2010: When the plane IX 819 safely took off to sky from Mangalore airport on my return journey to Doha after completing a week long vacation on Sunday morning, I could see my co passengers breathe the sigh of relief. Some of the passengers were even closing their eyes and praying for a safe take off. This kind of feeling will continue for some time, because it is not easy for anyone to forget the crash of an Air India Boeing 737-800 plane that killed 158 people in this airport last week.

Only an inquiry could establish what exactly went wrong as the aircraft overshot the hilltop runway and crashed and plunged over a cliff and into a ravine at dawn Saturday on the outskirts of the southern Indian city of Mangalore. Of the 166 passengers and crew aboard, only eight people miraculously survived the crash.

As reported, the plane might have over shot the run way. But if the runway had plain ground ahead instead of the valley the survival rate could have been much more. Also, the fact is that the airport does not have the emergency approach roads on all sides of the airport as required. This was evident during the crash on Saturday morning, when rescue teams could not access the crash site due to the difficult terrain for over an hour after the crash. The local people from the surrounding areas did everything they can to rescue the survivors.

Mangalore airport at Bajpe has been catering the needs of air travelers of coastal Karnataka and north Kerala since over 60 years now. But ever since the crash on 22nd May 2010 this airport has been the subject for debate internationally. This airport was inaugurated in the year 1951 by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, by landing at Mangalore airport arriving in a Dakota plane from Mumbai.

There have been suggestions for shifting this airport to Padubidri during the seventies. Industrial Minister late T.A. Pai proposed this in 1975 as Padubidri is naturally more suitable for an airport with its plain landscape and it is also convenient to the people of northern region. But since the other politicians of that time did not take much interest on this matter, this proposal did not materialize.

As per the records, since October 2006 up to March 2010 about 7,900 international planes have landed and taken off at Mangalore airport. Also, since 2006 up to March 2010 about 31,000 domestic planes have landed and taken off as well. This is the first ever such disaster in this airport.

Mangalore airport has been also distinguished as a table top airport surrounded by deep valleys in three sides. At one side the valley is 300 feet deep, at west side of runway it is 272 feet deep and at east side it is 82 feet. Now, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has said that the runway will be increased from the present 8,000 feet to 9,000 feet. The airport authority has 580 acres of land and for the extension they will need more 200 to 300 acres of land, which needs to be acquired. We will have to wait and see when this will be completed.

The other facts to be noted in the current facility are whether Mangalore airport meets all the requirements an International airport needs. For a full fledged International airport the ATC (Air Traffic Control) tower should be 125 meters high from the sea level. At present Mangalore airport ATC is 109 meters high. With the increased height it will be easy for the communication between ATC and the pilot. Also the approach radar is essential for the safe landing of flight. This facility will provide the complete picture of airport prevailing the weather condition of the airport and details about the height and speed of the plane.

At present Mangalore airport has 420 meters of approach light system. For an International airport 900 meters of approach lights are required. Approach light system facilitates smooth landing and take off of plane at night and also during cloudy and rainy season. The present the 90 meter long sand arrestor system at the new runway did not work during the crash, so this should be re strengthened also.