AAI advocates 75 metre height for Air Traffic Control Tower

It will give a clear view of both ends of Runway 09 and Runway 27 at Tiruchi airport
The Airports Authority of India has come out with a fresh proposal seeking no objection certification from its internal cell to increase the height of the new Technical Block - cum- Air Traffic Control Tower to 75 metres at the non-metro Tiruchi international airport.

The proposal has been submitted to the Airports Authority of India’s NOC Cell that is headed by a top technical officer in the rank of an Executive Director to obtain the certification for the new height proposed.

The earlier height clearance of 42.5 metres accorded for the new Technical Block - cum - Air Traffic Control at Tiruchi airport could not be carried forward as it was felt that the tower would interfere with the navigational aids.

Further, it was also noticed that the height of 42.5 metres would not enable Air Traffic Controllers to have a clear view of both ends of the runway as well as the new apron that is under construction. Hence, the proposal to increase the height to 75 metres.


The fresh proposal was sent consequent to a visit by a top official of the Directorate of Planning of the AAI to the Tiruchi airport recently to ascertain the progress of the ongoing project.

The new Technical Block - cum - Air Traffic Control Tower is part of a major ongoing project being implemented at the Tiruchi airport under which construction of a integrated passenger terminal building and a new apron to accommodate 10 aircraft are currently underway. The AAI has sanctioned a whopping ₹ 950 crore to take up the three major works at the Tiruchi airport which has seen a steady rise in passenger traffic and aircraft movements over the years.

“We have applied for no objection certificate to the AAI’s NOC Cell for 75 metres height of the new Technnical Block - cum - Air Traffic Control Tower”, a senior AAI official told The Hindu.

The new height proposed would enable the Air Traffic Controllers to have a clear view of both ends of Runway 09 and Runway 27 and enable them to have a 360 degree view of the entire airport. Simulation tests would be carried out prior to according no objection for the new height proposed, the official added.

The official said construction of the new passenger terminal building and the apron were apace with 10% of the works having been completed. The plan is to complete the new terminal building by September 2021 and the new apron prior to that. Once the no-objection for 75 metres height of the new tower comes through, the next exercise of floating tenders for the project would commence, the official added