Surat Airport: A Catastrophe Waiting to Happen on Runway 22?

Surat, Gujarat – Surat Airport, one of the most rapidly expanding aviation hub in India, is facing intense scrutiny. An official data from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) reveals that Runway-22 (Vesu side) facilitated nearly 73% of all aircraft movements between 2022 to 2024. Due to the over-reliance on Runway 22, it has ignited fears of major aviation incident, drawing unsetting parallels to the 2020 Kozhikode Air India Express crash.

While the declared length of the runway at Surat airport is about 2,905 meters from Runway-22 on Vesu side, but the presence of illegal and dangerously high buildings in its approach path forces aircraft to utilize only 2,290 meters for landings as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) having displaced 615 meters.  This effective shortening of the runway is a severe safety compromise, especially concerning given the airport’s increasing traffic.

Sanjay Izawa, president of the Surat Airport Action Committee, has issued a stark warning, outlining seven critical issues that he believes make Surat Airport a high-risk environment:

Inadequate Usable Runway Length: The 615-meter displacement on Runway 22 leaves a usable length of only 2,250 meters. This short runway is a major limitation for accommodating larger aircraft and poses significant risks, particularly since this runway accounts for roughly 80% of total movements, soaring to 99% during the monsoon.

Obstructive Building Heights: Buildings constructed between 2007 and 2017 on the Vesu side are dangerously high, violating safety norms and creating hazards during low-visibility landings.

Aging ONGC Pipeline: A high-pressure gas pipeline, laid under the runway in 1990, has exceeded its 25-year design life. Despite its critical location for future runway expansion, ONGC has refused to construct a protective culvert, citing safety concerns with disturbing implications.

Lack of ILS on Runway 04: Runway 04 (Dumas side) lacks an Instrument Landing System (ILS). This deficiency funnels all bad-weather landings to the already compromised Runway 22, escalating the risk.

Bird Hazard from Shrimp ponds: Nearby Shrimp ponds and other lakes attract large birds, significantly increasing the risk of bird strikes. Surat experienced 14 such incidents in 2019-20 alone, highlighting an urgent need for mitigation.

Obstructive Buildings on Runway 04: Unauthorized constructions, including the Marina complex on the Dumas side, obstruct any future expansion of Runway 04, violating the 2017 Surat Airport Master Plan.

Sewer Line Under the Runway: A natural drain converted into an RCC box beneath the runway during past expansion poses another challenge. The Surat Municipal Corporation’s delay in its removal due to high costs is a concern given the increasing air traffic.

Flight movement data for 2022-2024 highlight a severe problem at Surat airport. Runway 22 facilitated over 36,000 arrivals and departures, compared to just 13,000 for Runway 04 on the Dumas sea shore side. This reliance is particularly acute from April to September, coinciding with the westerly wind season, which naturally favors Runway 22 for landings.

However, this operational preference comes at a steep price. Surat Airport recorded 19 aircraft diversions in the same period, with a staggering 15 (79%) directly linked to Runway 22. Most diversions (63%) were due to low visibility (often below 100 meters) or thunderstorms. Flights like Air India’s AIC493 and IndiGo’s IGO6272 were diverted multiple times, indicating a problematic pattern.

Rajesh Modi, aviation expert said, “There is a need for immediate and decisive action. The AAI must immediately take up the installation of  advanced navigation aids (ILS CAT II/III) on Runway 22, reassess and clear obstacle clearance zones on the Runway 22 approach path, increase the use of Runway 04, especially during adverse weather conditions, and develop a dynamic, data-driven seasonal runway usage strategy”

Surat’s ambition to become a major business and cargo aviation hub hinges on ensuring robust safety standards. The current operational strategy, heavily dependent on a compromised Runway 22, presents an unacceptable level of risk. Prioritizing infrastructure improvements, obstacle removal, and a balanced, data-driven approach is paramount to avert a potential disaster and safeguard the lives of thousands of passengers. The time for action is now, said Modi.