THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There are plans to start new flights from Thiruvananthapuram international airport in the future. However, coordinating the extra air traffic may be a problem, as the airport authorities are yet to replace the non-functional radar system – which helps locate aircraft and map their path, ensuring safe operations – that was damaged during the monsoon in September 2020.
At present, the airport is using a GPS-based system and radar feed from Kochi airport via fibre optic cable to provide vectors for flights. Though the lack of radar system has not created a problem in the coordination of air traffic so far due to its low volume, the current arrangement may not be sufficient when the airport adds more flights.
In its reply to the RTI query filed by Thiruvananthapuram-based RTI activist Akshay Ashok, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said efforts are on to replace the dysfunctional system. “The purchase order has been awarded to OEM (Original equipment manufacturers) for restoration of radar antenna and overseas items are expected to be dispatched from the Czech Republic,” it said in the reply. Akshay said the work is taking forever.
“The RTI reply received a month ago said the radar system will be restored by May 2022. The latest reply says it will be restored in July 2022. It has been almost two years since it was damaged,” he said. The radar system helps pinpoint the aircraft’s location, its distance, direction and speed, and is a very vital piece of equipment for the Air Traffic Control (ATC), for guiding the planes safely to their destinations by keeping them clear of terrain and air traffic, Akshay said.
“The ATC uses the radar feeds to keep the aircraft at a specific distance from each other, thereby ensuring safe flying. The AAI or Adani Trivandrum International Airport Ltd (which is managing the airport) should intervene in the matter soon,” he said.
A source in the AAI said it has accorded top priority to the issue. “An order has been placed for radar units. Shipping constraints due to the pandemic delayed replacing of the radar system. The delivery of the equipment is expected in two months,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the airport will soon get a new ATC tower soon on 3.04 acre of land allotted for ATC towers. “It is in the planning stage. An environmental impact assessment needs to be done before beginning construction of the tower,” said a source.
To be restored in July
An RTI reply received a month ago said the radar system will be restored by May 2022. The latest reply says it will be restored in July 2022. It has been almost two years since it was damaged. The ATC uses the radar feeds to keep the aircraft at a specific distance from each other.