TIRUPATI:Two flights - one belonging to Air India and another to Air Costa - flew over the Lord Venkteswara temple on Saturday afternoon, raising concerns over the safety of the temple and giving anxious moments to devotees.
Though the Civil Aviation Ministry has not declared Tirumala as a ‘no-fly zone’ despite long-pending and repeated requests by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), it has suggested to different airlines to direct their pilots taking off from the Tirupati airport at nearby Renigunta to take a diversion to the left soon after takeoff from the runway to avoid flying over the Tirumala temple, situated on the right side.
However, on Saturday, due to bad weather, the AI pilot sought permission from the Tirupati Airport officials to permit him to turn right after crossing 5 nautical miles and the airport officials granted his plea. Thus, the aircraft flew over the sacred hilltop temple. This was soon followed by an Air Costa plane.
When contacted by Express, Tirupati Airport director VV Rao made it clear that Tirumala has not yet been declared a ‘no-fly zone’ though the TTD had sent an appeal in this regard to the Civil Aviation Ministry. “Usually, we suggest that the pilots turn left after takeoff instead of right where Tirumala is located. But, on Saturday, the Air India flight (Tirupati-New Delhi via Hyderabad) pilot, who observed clouds on the left, asked us for permission to turn right and proceeded accordingly,” Rao said.
“Once the pilot requests for a change in the direction after takeoff on the ground of weather problems, we have no right to prevent him from doing so as the weather plays a key role in operating flights,” said another official.
“The request of the TTD to declare Tirumala as a ‘no-fly zone’ appears not feasible at a time when the Tirupati
Airport is being upgraded as an international airport. As there is every possibility of increase in the number of flights to and from Tirupati in the coming days, we don’t think that the Civil Aviation Ministry will honour the TTD’s appeal as it will become a tough task to handle the air traffic in such conditions,” said an official on condition of anonymity.
Pressure Mounts for No-fly Zone
Tirumala is not a ‘no fly zone’ as it is believed. Despite being allegedly on the radar of terrorists, and pressure from pilgrims, the government has maintained that the temple site is safe. This incident may again lead the TTD and the state government to mount pressure for a no-fly zone.