In a significant step to ensure the safe take-off and landing of aircraft, the Patna Airport Authority has planned to install 12 high-mast pole lights to enhance visibility on the runway. Following the initiative, flight operations are set not to be disrupted even if visibility decreases due to fog or bad weather.
The new facility is designed to enhance aircraft operations by reducing the minimum required visibility from 1,000 metres to 550 metres. The authority plans to install 12 poles over a 900-metre-long area, with each pole having 40 lights. The distance between each pole is set to be around three metres.
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The Airport Authority has requested land from Patna Zoo for this project. However, the zoo administration, citing concerns about the felling of trees, has requested that approval be sought from the Forest Department before the land is made available.
The zoo administration has clarified that permission will only be granted through the Forest Department's Parivesh portal and that the process of providing compensatory land must also be completed, with the Airport Authority preparing a demand report in this regard and sending it to the DGCA. Work will commence as soon as approval is received.
As per the officials, flight operations are set to enhance after the installation of the high-mast pole lights. They added that the facility is aimed at resolving the issue of flights being affected during foggy weather and will eliminate the problem of flight cancellations by approximately 99 per cent.