Helipads atop Mumbai buildings lying unused

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 18

More than three years after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officially allowed helipads to be constructed atop tall buildings in Mumbai, none of them are operational due to objections from various central ministries, including those pertaining to defence and environment.

“Under the development control (DC) norms, helipads may be constructed on roofs of buildings that are more than 200 m in height. Several buildings have already been given permission to construct helipads,” an official from the BMC said.

Even before the DC norms were notified, several prominent industrialists like the Ruias of Essar and Mukesh Ambani were given permission to build helipads on the rooftops of their homes and offices, according to officials. At least one prominent private hospital in the city has also constructed rooftop helipads. However, none is operational.

“While the Indian Navy has objected to helicopters landing and taking off from buildings in south Mumbai, residents’ associations complained of possible noise pollution to the Environment Ministry,” an executive from a helicopter charter agency said.