Defence spoke on helipads atop tall Mumbai buildings

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, August 17

More than three years after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officially allowed helipads to be constructed atop tall buildings in Mumbai, none of them are operational due to objections from various central ministries, including those pertaining to defence and environment.

”Under the Development Control norms, which came into effect in Mumbai in 2016, helipads may be constructed on roofs of buildings that are more than 200 metres in height. Several buildings, including hospitals and private residences, owned by industrialists have already been given permission to construct helipads,” a BMC official said.

Even before the Development Control norms were notified, several prominent industrialists like the Ruias of Essar and industrialist Mukesh Ambani were given permission to build helipads on the rooftops of their homes and offices, according to officials.

At least one prominent private hospital in the city has also constructed rooftop helipads for air ambulances to land and take off.

However, none of them are operational.

According to industry sources, the helipads have to be certified air worthy by the Director-General of Civil Aviation, apart from getting the green signal from the defence and environment ministries. “While the Indian Navy has objected to helicopters landing and taking off from buildings in South Mumbai, residents’ associations complained of possible noise pollution to the Environment Ministry,” an executive from a helicopter charter agency said.

As of now those using private helicopters have to brave traffic to the Juhu airport in the suburbs, though private helipads are operational at several sites outside Mumbai, according to helicopter charter agencies.