ESG holds AAI/DCGA/aviation ministry/judiciary responsible for May 22 crash

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 5: Bangalore’s Environmental Support Group (ESG) pointed out during a press conference held under the auspices of Roshni Nilaya School of Social Work that the second expanded runway of the Mangalore International Airport had serious structural flaws, which were responsible for the terrible air tragedy of May 22. 

Claiming that this was not a “human error,” but a “systemic error” created by the irresponsibility and callousness of decision and policy makers, Mr. Leo Saldanha of ESG Bangalore said that such callousness cannot be tolerated anymore and that the crash of May 22 should be investigated not by individual investigators, but by the Joint Parliamentary Committee. 

Mr. Saldanha further explained that the ESG had proposed a plan to the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Airports Authority of India, according to which a runway extending from Puchchala village to the existing terminal building in Kenjar village would have given the airport a runway of over 12,000 feet, making it compatible with international runway standards. 

Mr. Saldanha said the implementation of the above plan would have facilitated the safe landing of even mega aircraft of international airlines and made Mangalore one of the most prominent aviation hubs of the country. Besides, it would have made Mangalore an engine of development in the state as well as saved it from getting the reputation of one of the most dangerous tabletop airports of the world. It could have also saved the lives of the 158 victims of the May 22 plane crash. 

Mr. Saldanha accused the Airports Authority of India, the DGCA, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the tragedy. He also said that the judiciary, which dismissed the public interest litigations filed by the ESG and the Vimana Nildana Virodhi Samithi (Anti Airport Expansion Committee) in the High Court on grounds that this was the work of people who were against national development, should also be held responsible for the tragedy. Mr. Saldanha said that former chief justices Mr. R. P. Sethia and Mr. Bhaskar Rao should share the blame. 

Speaking about the second runway of Bajpe Airport, he said that it had been constructed without taking into consideration international safety standards such as 12,000ft of runway and 300ft width of runway with 90m arrester. The AAI, the DGCA, the Bureau of Indian Aviation Safety, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation have disregarded all these safety guidelines, he alleged. 

Mr. Praful Patel’s idea of extended the runway to another 1000ft will not meet international standards, warned Mr. Saldanha. He added that wide-bodied aircraft cannot be landed on short runways. Mentioning that the Boeing that crashed was a fine aircraft that can be landed even on an 800m runway, he pointed out that factors such as human error must be considered and margins have to be provided.