Delhi police have imposed prohibitory orders banning the use of drones and laser beam activities in the funnel area that falls within the approach path of flights to the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Sources claimed that these prohibitory orders have been put in place due to the movement of VVIP aircraft at the airport, prompted by significant political developments in the national capital and the upcoming oath-taking ceremony of the Prime Minister.
The directive will be effective from June 1 and will be in effect until July 30, including both dates. According to the order, the Air Traffic Control at the airport has noted instances of pilots being distracted by laser beams, particularly during aircraft landings, which not only creates a disturbance but also poses a risk to the safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft.
It read “And whereas, it has been found that several farmhouses, banquets, hotels, restaurants, etc. have come up in and around the jurisdiction of IGI Airport wherein a lot of lights, including laser beams, are used on the celebration of marriages, parties and different events held therein, which is a source of nuisance in general and cause of vision distraction to the pilots in particular.”
The passage additionally states that currently, there are no established guidelines governing the usage of laser beams, particularly outdoors during nighttime. It is imperative to promptly implement measures to avert risks to human life, ensure aircraft safety, and mitigate disturbances related to the use of laser beams in and around the airport.
Section 144 and the order banning drones at airports cite credible reports of terrorists planning attacks using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) like drones, paragliders, and aero models. Public use of these systems is prohibited due to safety hazards and potential terrorist threats to aviation security.
