Surat Airport New Terminal Opens Sans Fire NOC

Surat: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) unveiled the newly extended terminal building at Surat airport with much fanfare in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Surat on December 17.

However, amidst the celebrations, a glaring oversight has come to light – the Surat Airport authorities blatantly disregarded fire safety norms by operating the new terminal building without obtaining the mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) fire and emergency services department.

This brazen disregard for safety puts hundreds of passengers using the new terminal at risk. The AAI extended the existing terminal building from 8,474 square meters to 25,520 square meters at a cost of Rs 353 crore, but their haste to inaugurate it overshadowed crucial safety protocols.

The Surat airport has a long history of flouting fire safety regulations. It has been operating without a fire NOC since 2005. In 2019, the SMC’s fire department served a notice to the airport director, demanding the NOC within 15 days under threat of strict action.

The Airport authorities, however, maintain that they have their own fire safety cover, including fire fighting appliances, manpower, and a fully-fledged fire station, rendering the NOC unnecessary. They claim this equipment can handle any emergency situation.

Despite their assurances, the extended terminal building is expected to handle a significant passenger load, with a capacity of 1,200 domestic and 600 international passengers during peak hours, translating to an annual capacity of 3.5 million. This raises concerns about the adequacy of their internal fire safety measures, particularly in the absence of an official NOC.

The modern amenities of the new terminal, including 19 check-in counters, five aerobridges, an in-line baggage handling system, five conveyor belts, and a parking area for 475 cars, pale in comparison to the potential fire safety risks.

Basant Pareek, Chief Fire Officer of SMC, confirmed that the new terminal building lacks the required fire NOC. “They have the NOC for the old terminal building, and they even managed to get a temporary one for the day of the inauguration, but that doesn’t excuse them from obtaining the official NOC,” he stated.

Pareek further revealed that no official request for the NOC was ever made by the airport authorities. “Fire NOC is a mandatory prerequisite for operating any building within Surat city limits, and the airport is no exception,” he emphasized.

Every airport in India must comply with fire safety regulations and obtain the necessary NOC from local authorities. The blatant disregard for this crucial protocol by the Surat Airport authorities raises serious concerns about their commitment to passenger safety and raises questions about the AAI’s oversight in this matter.