lizardking
10th Sep 2006, 15:19
The Indian Air Force (IAF), fearing an attack on Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), has turned it into a ‘no-fly zone’.
The IAF has said that any aircraft that flies over the prestigious nuclear centre shall be shot down.
“BARC has been perennially under threat, but after 9/11 the possibility of a passenger aircraft being turned into a guided missile has been high,” said a top airport official.
After recent terror threats, the IAF asked the Mumbai airport’s secondary runway (14-32) to be shut down, as it comes directly in the path of BARC.
“We have been instructed to close the runway for security reasons. Operations on the runway were closed for 12 days from August 20,” said the official. Airport officials find the new rule absurd.
“We have to do scheduled maintenance for the main runway (09-27) at least twice a week. If the secondary runway is not usable we cannot do that,” said the official.
According to the information given to the Mumbai Air Traffic Control, there can be no flying activity within a 5-nautical mile radius of BARC and Tarapur Atomic Station.
If any aircraft flies over either of these vital installations, it would be shot down, with anti-aircraft guns or bombers.
Runway problems
According to sources, the secondary runway was opened on September 1 because urgent repairs had to be done on the main runway.
“Because of heavy rains, part of the bitumen on the runway had come off and had developed cracks. So we had to close the main runway and make use of the secondary one,” said the official.
A senior Mumbai Air Traffic Control official said that talks of shutting down the runway have been on for a year now with the IAF.
“First we established a hotline, through which the IAF and other security agencies could be informed in case of any terror attack.”
This time, however, the official informed, the IAF refused to budge and clamped operations citing high alert.
Negotiations are on to make full use of the secondary runway with the IAF, he added.
However M G Junghare, GM, Aerodromes said that it was a security matter and he refused to comment.
A Mumbai airport spokesperson confirmed that the runway was closed for 12 days because BARC was turned into a ‘no-fly zone’, but added “operations have resumed from the secondary runway.”
A defence spokesperson in Mumbai said that he did not have any information of such an alert by the IAF.
“The IAF does not comment on security issues,” he added.
The IAF has said that any aircraft that flies over the prestigious nuclear centre shall be shot down.
“BARC has been perennially under threat, but after 9/11 the possibility of a passenger aircraft being turned into a guided missile has been high,” said a top airport official.
After recent terror threats, the IAF asked the Mumbai airport’s secondary runway (14-32) to be shut down, as it comes directly in the path of BARC.
“We have been instructed to close the runway for security reasons. Operations on the runway were closed for 12 days from August 20,” said the official. Airport officials find the new rule absurd.
“We have to do scheduled maintenance for the main runway (09-27) at least twice a week. If the secondary runway is not usable we cannot do that,” said the official.
According to the information given to the Mumbai Air Traffic Control, there can be no flying activity within a 5-nautical mile radius of BARC and Tarapur Atomic Station.
If any aircraft flies over either of these vital installations, it would be shot down, with anti-aircraft guns or bombers.
Runway problems
According to sources, the secondary runway was opened on September 1 because urgent repairs had to be done on the main runway.
“Because of heavy rains, part of the bitumen on the runway had come off and had developed cracks. So we had to close the main runway and make use of the secondary one,” said the official.
A senior Mumbai Air Traffic Control official said that talks of shutting down the runway have been on for a year now with the IAF.
“First we established a hotline, through which the IAF and other security agencies could be informed in case of any terror attack.”
This time, however, the official informed, the IAF refused to budge and clamped operations citing high alert.
Negotiations are on to make full use of the secondary runway with the IAF, he added.
However M G Junghare, GM, Aerodromes said that it was a security matter and he refused to comment.
A Mumbai airport spokesperson confirmed that the runway was closed for 12 days because BARC was turned into a ‘no-fly zone’, but added “operations have resumed from the secondary runway.”
A defence spokesperson in Mumbai said that he did not have any information of such an alert by the IAF.
“The IAF does not comment on security issues,” he added.