The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench had admitted a suo motu petition against the Airports Authority of India and the Government of India. The petition is related to the inordinate delay in recarpeting the runway at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport at Nagpur, Maharashtra.
The court admitted the petition based on a report published by a regional language newspaper. The court issued a notice to the Ministry of Aviation, Maharashtra Airports Development Authority, and the Airports Authority of India seeking a reply by August 14.
The High Court Bench of Justice Nitin Sambre and Justice Abhay Mantri admitted the petition and appointed Adv Kartik Shukul as Amicus Curiae.
Recarpeting of 3,200-meter-long runway was planned in a meeting on June 19, 2023. The first phase of the work was schooled between March 15 and July 15, 2023; and the second phase was between September and December. It was also decided that the flight operations would remain closed for about eight hours during the recarpeting work. The flight operations remained closed, but the recarpeting work did not progress.
The authorities concerned say that the work would begin after the monsoon season. The passengers, however, were made to suffer in the name of repairs that were not carried out.