NEW DELHI: Blinders at the flyover overseeing the Safdarjung airport have served the twin objectives of keeping out unwanted plane watchers and also in cutting down noise in the area adjoining the air strip.
With only top VVIP movement happening from the airport, the the blinders installed on the radical facing the runway — about a year ago — have helped to keep a check on commuters who halt their vehiclers for watching planes take off.
The home ministry had asked the Airports Authority of India to install these view cutters for security reasons. A police officer said these curtains, which are not bullet-proof, were put up on other flyovers as well to prevent the sound going to the nearby colonies and to prevent suicide attempts.
According to NDMC, the travellers would stop there to to see small planes and helicopters operate from there, and thus, a demand came from security agencies to install the barricades. “Many times, VIPs land at the Safdurjang airport so the request came from security agencies to create barricades on the flyover. Earlier people used to come and click pictures, stand there to look at the runway.,” said HP Singh, Director Roads, (NDMC). Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic, K Jegadshan, said the primary reason was of security and not to avoid traffic.
Trivia
Established during the British Raj, the airfield began operations in 1929, when it was India’s second airport after the Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai