Airport: a transition from cornerstone to rolling stone

 

By Angela Mahapatra

 Airports are an indicator of development. John D. Kasarda and others have demonstrated how airports support growth, contributing to urban growth and development. Improved regional connectivity has promoted migration as well as the international movement of people and goods. But it's not the same any more, airports have encouraged the growth of the population so much that it's scary for people in that residence.

Brinkmanship of development

Belgian researchers Taïs Grippa and Frédric Debruszkes have highlighted in their paper, "You’re surrounded! Measuring the interior of airports in urban areas", that there are significant risks linked to airports situated close to crowded neighbourhoods. Their study presents the idea of an "enclosure index," which evaluates the effects of population density within a 15 km radius of the airport. (Source -1) Mumbai, Ahmedabad among Indian airports facing heightened safety risk due to urban surroundings, published on Economic Times, 9th of July 2025, and

2) You’re surrounded by Grippa and Dobruszkes,2022 pub published in The Professional Geographer.

Mumbai's Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport are located in congested zones, posing important safety issues for residents. The location near slums and housing makes operations more difficult and narrows down safety margins. For instance, Chennai Airport has experienced safety problems due to impingement on the airport, leading authorities to caution against skyscrapers that might obstruct the flight paths.

Airport, a planned death trap

Airports are usually sentimental grounds for farewells, and here we don't only bid farewell to our loved ones but also sometimes to some part of ourselves. However, the unprecedented urban sprawl surrounding these airports has brought issues such as illegal construction and inadequate infrastructure.

This scenario causes land use conflicts, prevents airport expansion, and affects safety. For example, spontaneous and frequent uncontrolled development around Indira Gandhi International Airport complicates runway additions and infrastructure upliftment. Urban development around airports requires stricter regulation to safeguard buffer zones. Effective policies are necessary for safe aircraft operations and public security. Airports in densely populated regions have a greater danger of accidents during takeoff and landing, resulting in potential severe casualties.

For example, the devastating 2020 Air India Express Kozhikode crash happened when the plane overshot the runway and disintegrated on a tabletop runway, with concerns being raised about the proximity of the runway to surrounding residential areas. In the same way, the 2025 Air India Flight 171 incident while taking off from Patel International Airport ended in tragedy when the aircraft crashed in a residential neighborhood. It crashed into a housing building of medical personnel associated with Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College and Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, resulting in the horrific loss of 242 lives, including passengers, flight attendants, and family members of medical personnel. (source -1)"What we know so far about Air India crash investigation" by Jack Burgess, Maia Davies, and Anna Lamche, BBC News, published on 12th June 2025 and updated on 12th July 2025

2)Four MBBS students, four relatives of doctors died in the crash: JDA published in the Times of India on June 17th 2025.)

Aircraft noise pollution leads to severe health issues like stress, sleep disorders, hypertension, and heart disease. Residents near airports, such as Mumbai’s Vile Parle and Santa Cruz, have raised concerns about unbearable noise from late-night flights. This problem is compounded by engine noise, traffic, and construction, worsening air pollution and impacting children and the elderly. For example, despite Bangalore airport's distance from the city, rapid development nearby is increasing emissions and dust pollution, raising health concerns.

Overcrowding of residential complexes close to airports makes evacuation in times of crisis difficult, preventing easy access for emergency vehicles. For instance, the traffic congestion within Kolkata's international airport takes longer to respond, particularly during rush hour. This raises the risk of deaths from accidents and worsens noise and air pollution, which is dangerous to health and the environment. Moreover, compromised infrastructure growth and safety breaches have transformed airports from a dream of development into a nightmare.

Development, a mere eyewash

Airports are considered symbols of modernity, boosting local economies and international connectivity, especially in developing nations like India. The government gives airports high priority in regional development, adhering to global standards, like in the cases of GMR Delhi Airport and RGIA of Hyderabad. Yet, problems such as uncontrolled urban expansion, inadequate buffer zones, lack of security, and neglected social and environmental impacts continue to haunt. Airports represent elitism, with projects aiming for high-end developments as the airports kill the local businesses by taking away agricultural land, forcing farmers into debt. It is followed by delayed compensation and no skill development, as was the case with Navi Mumbai airport. Besides, airport expansions, such as those at Kolkata airport, pollute the environment and pose a danger to fish farming. Inefficient infrastructure planning increases traffic jams and pulls down productivity, as airports attract a lot of traffic. Such situations are witnessed at Bengaluru airport. Even though the airport creates employment opportunities, most are low-paying or contractual jobs with minimal career prospects. This begs the question: is the airport an elitist enabler or does it belong to the commoner?

United by clouds, divided by politics

The expansion and shifting of airports take huge land tracts, which in India creates political tensions, protests, and litigation.

The Jewar Airport project proposal has received major pushback against the acquisition of land, with the faltering of Navi Mumbai Airport due to aversion from local and tribal groups. The expansion of slums around airports accommodates a large number of people who serve as a vote bank, which results in the government not wanting to shift these groups for fear of losing their electoral backing. This erodes sound urban planning, as population demands conflict with long-term infrastructure aspirations and short-term political agendas. Politicians are prone to make promises not to disturb surrounding neighbourhoods, putting off difficult decisions in election years and hampering airport modernisation. Aviation is controlled by the central government, while land administration and laws are controlled by the state, leading to bureaucratic harassment and political tensions. The government of West Bengal shelved the Purulia Airport project because of this state-central accord, similar to Trivandrum airport privatisation, which was resisted at the state level despite central sanction. In addition, airport privatisation often gives rise to charges of cronyism and persistent capitalism that benefit political parties over their rivals.

In brief, Indian cities' congested airports point towards planning failures in cities, political indecision, attempts to please the underprivileged, issues with land acquisition, and disputes between governments. Airport management, new constructions, or expansions involve reconciling development objectives with political agendas. Enhancements can encompass compensation and resettlement for ousted communities, skill development facilities in localities for airport employment, affordable housing and commercial units for locals, and zoning, followed by inclusive infrastructure planning

 

@ The author is an independent researcher.