SC grants relief to AAI, allows to increase airport traffic in Agra

NEW DELHI: In a relief to the Airports Authority of India, the Supreme Court on Tuesday modified its order and allowed AAI to increase the airport traffic in the Agra airfield and construct a new terminal in Agra. A bench headed by justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul passed the direction while hearing an application moved by the Airports Authority of India.

AAI has moved an application through advocate Ashwarya Sinha. In the application, the Airports Authority of India has sought modification of the court's earlier order dated December 11 2019, whereby the court has directed the Centre not to grant any permission to increase the airport traffic in the Agra airfield until further orders.

In view of the emergent need to increase air traffic, the Airports Authority of India has sought to modify the earlier order. AAI, in its application, said that the authority after taking into consideration the UDAN-RCS Scheme along with the other factors proposed development of New Civil Enclave at the existing Civil Enclave to provide state-of-the-art facilities to passengers and boost the tourist inflow in the city.

"That the new enclave having a building area of 30,000 sq. mtr. is proposed on the area which falls inside the geographical limits of the Taj Trapezium Zone. That the proposed area is free from all encumbrances and has been transferred by the Government of Uttar Pradesh to the Applicants," AAI said in its plea.

AAI submitted that the top court vide its order dated December 4 2019 and December 11 2019 has already granted permission for the construction of the New Civil Enclave.

The applicant submitted that despite the permission already been granted by the Court to construct the New Civil Enclave, the Applicant is unable to construct the said New Civil Enclave as the embargo placed upon the increase of air traffic by the Court makes the entire project infeasible and non-viable.