Ahead of Election Results, Prohibitory Orders Passed at Delhi Airport

Welcome to June 4. Today, the election results for the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections will be announced. After this announcement, preparations will start for the oath-taking ceremony of the Prime Minister of India for the 2024-2029 term.

Or say, preparations have already started as Delhi Police has passed the prohibitory orders for areas in and around Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL).

Section 144 Imposed at/around Delhi Airport

Because of the upcoming oath-taking ceremony, Delhi is set to witness a hike in VIP movements. In light of this increase, Section 144 has been imposed at and around Delhi Airport.

Between June 1 and July 30, Delhi Police issued some prohibitory orders banning the use of drones and laser beams in the approach path of Delhi Airport. According to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) office at the airport, laser intrusion incidents have increased recently. Pointing a laser beam at the aircraft cockpit may blind the pilot temporarily. Imagine a pilot getting color-blinded in the final/main phase of the flight.

This not only creates an inconvenience, but also poses a danger to aircraft, passengers inside it, and the surrounding locality. This prohibitory order applies to all the shopping malls, marriage halls, farmhouses, hotels, and restaurants that fall in the vicinity of the airport approach path.

Usually, there are no specific orders in Delhi that restrict the usage of laser beams. This order aims to reduce the inconvenience caused by the use of laser lights in or around the airport premises.

Usage of Drones Banned

In another order, Delhi Police has banned the usage of drones in the region around Delhi Airport. Security forces have received various credible reports stating that terrorists are planning attacks using Unmanned Aircraft systems (UAS), including drones, paragliders, hang-gliders, UAVs, etc.

As a result of this, Delhi Police have banned the usage of any drone in or around the airport region. This ban has been implemented to avoid potential hazards to aviation safety and any terror attack.

The order stated that any person found violating this order would be charged under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. This section deals with persons disobeying an order lawfully communicated by a public servant. The consequences of this section include a fine of up to Rs 200, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.

Reinforcement of an Established Rule

While it is understandable that the Delhi Police wants to keep aviation safety on top, the above-stated rules are already enforced by different authorities.

In October 2023, the Aircraft Rules 1937 was amended. Under this amendment, the restricted area for the use of laser lights was increased from 5 kilometers to 5 nautical miles around an aerodrome, prohibiting the use of laser beams within this expanded zone.

Even after this, police specifically ban such lights in laser-prone regions. For example: In April-end, West Bengal Police banned usage of laser lights, beams, and shows in areas near Kolkata Airport. Starting May 1, this ban was effective for 2 months. Due to wedding season, the laser lights had become a huge problem for aircraft departing and arriving at Delhi Airport.

Conclusion: Restrictions at Delhi Airport

Delhi Police has issued prohibitory orders restricting the use of drones and laser lights around Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport. Because of the upcoming oath-taking ceremony, the VIP movements at Delhi Airport are set to increase, Hence, to enhance the security and reduce inconvenience, these orders have been passed. Anyone found violating these orders will be booked under Section 188 of IPC.

Have you ever been involved in a diversion prompted by a laser intrusion? Discuss in the comment section.