Surat International Airport devoid of CAT-1 ILS for safe aircraft landing 

Surat, Gujarat : At Surat International Airport, flight diversions and delays have become common, which seriously calls for questions regarding aviation safety during the monsoon season. The problem stems from the outdated lighting system at the airport, which compromises landing aircraft vision.

Surat International Airport is coping with outdated lighting systems inadequate for low-visibility conditions. The Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited (GUJSAIL) has not responded to the demand raised by the Surat collector for 20.33 acre land for installing the CAT-1 Instrument Landing System (ILS), which is absolutely necessary for safe aircraft landings in low visibility. Many aircraft diversions and delays are among the major problems that faces the Surat airport.

In a letter to GUJSAIL CMD Hareet Shukla, airport activists have urged him to speed up the approval process for acquiring the 20.33 acres of land needed for the CAT-1 ILS at Surat International Airport. Particularly in the monsoon season, the activists assert that the prolonged delay in enhancing the landing mechanism seriously compromises flying operations.

The Surat district collector submitted a proposal for the 20.33 acre land requirement  on behalf of the airport in a letter dated February 29, 2024. The implementation of the CAT-1 ILS, a modern lighting system guaranteeing aircraft safety during landings in low-visibility circumstances, depends on the approval from the GUJSAIL. However, GUJSAIL has not responded to the letter despite the urgency—four months later.

GUJSAIL’s tardy response has resulted in an unjustifiable hold-up in the whole procedure, almost eight-month wait for no apparent explanation. This bureaucratic slowness is aggravating the issue and driving the airport to run with outdated and unsafe lighting systems.

Under consideration of these issues, the Surat Collector’s office has advised that the GUJSAIL procedure be accelerated right away. Municipal authorities and aviation campaigners are calling for fast response to speed the machinery and enable early CAT-1 ILS installation at Surat International Airport.

The circumstances are causing passengers and the aviation community growing dissatisfaction. The severe weather of the monsoon season has highlighted the need for innovative technologies to ensure effective and safe airport operations.