Court orders AAI to install SAL System at Srinagar airport

Jammu and Kashmir High Court (HC) Tuesday directed the Airport Authority of India (AAI) to execute the work of installing Simple Approach Lighting System (SALS) at the Srinagar International Airport.
The division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey said, “AAI shall proceed with the execution of work, they shall not wait for further directions.”
The court was informed that installation of SALS will help in reducing the visibility from 1300 meters to 1000 meters, which will allow the proper landing of flights at the airport during winters.
In compliance with the court orders, Advocate Tahir Majid Shamsi representing Ministry of Defense filed the response to the status report filed by AAI.
It revealed that for execution of deposit work, AAI is required to forward the proposal to MES Engineer-in-Chief branch, Kashmir House, New DelhI.
The report said, “In the execution of such works services the role of Indian Air Force (IAF) is confined only to the provision of defense land for such proposed works.”
The court observed that installation of aviation infrastructure requires specialized firms which can monitor the work to meet the special requirement of such infrastructure.
“The installation of SALS is a specialized work which only few firms can take. IAF has not refused to take the work through MES. Although MES has showed reservations as they don’t have expertise to handle such specialized projects,” the court said.
On previous hearing, counsels representing different departments shifted the responsibility on each other for the execution of the work.
The court listed the matter on 29-01-2018 for further hearing.