Tel:0824-752081/752623

Bangalore Support Group: 153, 5^th Main, 4^th Block, Banashankari 3^rd Stage, 2^nd Phase,

Bangalore 560 085. INDIA

Telefax: 91-80-6614855 or 2274699 Email: [email protected] [email protected]

The Secretary General

International Civil Aviation Organisation

999 University street

Montreal, Quebec

Canada H3C 5H7

Fax: (514) 954-6077

10 December, 1998

Reg.: Clarification sought with regard to compliance of ICAO Airport Design Standards by the Airports Authority of India in the construction of Second Runway and terminal tower at the Bajpe Airport, Mangalore.

Dear Sir or Madam,

The undersigned is the Secretary of the Vimana Nildhana Vistharana Virodhi Samithi, which translates from the original Kannada language to “Airport Expansion Opposition Committee”. This committee has for the past decade been resisting the expansion of the Bajpe Airport in the coastal city of Mangalore of Karnataka State, India for a combination of reasons including lapses with regard to considerations relating to the planning, technical compliance, environmental and social impacts of the project.

The undersigned has initiated Public Interest Litigation against the said project before the High Court of Karnataka at Bangalore in Writ Petition No. 37681/1997. In its judgement delivered recently, the Court has held our petition premature.

In the response filed by the Airports Authority of India with regard to the aforementioned petition, it has been submitted to the Honourable Court that:

“It is completely false to suggest that the respondents (i.e., Airports Authority of India) have violated the standards and recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to which India is a signatory, is totally false and unfounded. It is submitted that as regards the minimum width of the runway is concerned, the respondents have already filed their differences with the ICAO to the effect that if the existing airport is to be upgraded, then the existing runway strip’s width will continue if the additional land is not available. Presently the same is under the consideration of the ICAO.”

The above response was filed in reaction to our contention that the said airport was being developed without ensuring the minimum prescribed width of 300 metres for an instrument runway, as prescribed by the ICAO standards and Indian Law in this regard. Evidence had been produced in Court by the Petitioners to demonstrate that throughout the extent of the runway the minimum width of 300 metres is not available and also that the entire location is surrounded by a drop of 100 metres.

With regard to the above, I would appreciate if your office could clarify on the following aspects:

1. Whether India has made a notification as per Article 38 of the ICAO convention?

2. Whether the Airports Authority of India has notified the “differences” with regard to the width of the runway for the proposed 2^nd runway and terminal of the Mangalore airport.

As we are requesting this information in the public interest, we deeply appreciate your earliest response in this regard. Should you need any assistance from us, or any clarifications on the matter, please contact us at the aforementioned addresses.

Further, we will be obliged to send a copy of our petition if needed. The same may also be downloaded from the website: http://www.altindia.net/esg/index.htm. (The petition is listed as Bajpe airport petition)

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

With best wishes,

Yours truly,

Arthur Pereira

Secretary