Air scare: High Court seeks govt reply on rising cases of bird strike at Delhi airport

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Union government on a plea highlighting the rising bird and wildlife strikes at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, which pose a serious threat to passenger safety.

A bench led by the chief justice Devendra Kumar issued notices to multiple authorities, including the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, on a writ petition filed by social activist Gauri Maulekhi.

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The matter will next be heard on 14 May.

Maulekhi has urged the court to direct the government to take immediate steps to mitigate Bird Aircraft Strike Hazards (BASH), implement a Bird Avoidance Model at IGI Airport, and shut down illegal slaughterhouses operating around the airport that lead to birds hovering over the skies near the airport.

The plea, reviewed by Mint, pointed out that IGI Airport recorded 705 confirmed bird strike incidents between 2018 and 2023, exceeding the combined total of 654 such cases reported across 29 airports in six states—Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand—during the same period.

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The plea attributed bird strikes at IGI Airport to nearby slaughterhouses, meat farms and dairy farms. Maulekhi noted that despite government acknowledgment, no action has been taken. The petition urged strict enforcement of regulations to shut down illegal meat shops and slaughterhouses within a 10-km radius of the airport.

The petitioner also highlighted the risks posed by the rising number of bird strikes to two key groups—aircraft passengers and crew members, who face significant dangers during takeoff and landing.

The plea highlighted that India has witnessed a sharp rise in bird strike incidents over the years. In 2006, the country recorded 167 bird strikes, which surged nearly sevenfold to 1,125 in 2022. That year, India’s bird strike rate—measured as the number of bird strikes per 10,000 aircraft movements—stood at 9.14, more than double the Safety Performance Target (SPT) of 4.26 set by the National Aviation Safety Plan (2018-2022).

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The plea expressed concern over this rising trend, stating that these incidents not only endanger aircraft passengers but also put residents of nearby areas at risk.

At IGI Airport, bird strike cases rose from 25 in 2006 to 183 in 2022, with a consistent increase over the years—107 incidents in 2012, 129 in 2013 and 146 in 2014.

The plea also emphasized that IGI Airport has recorded the highest number of wildlife strikes among India’s busiest airports. From 2018 to October 2023, the airport accounted for 41% of all bird strikes reported at the five busiest airports in the country.

With 705 incidents, IGI Airport surpassed the combined total of Mumbai and Bengaluru airports, which together reported 623 wildlife strike cases in the same period. The numbers further revealed that Delhi recorded twice as many bird strikes at Mumbai airport, 260% more than Bengaluru, 379% more than Hyderabad and 352% more than Chennai.

The plea highlighted several incidents of aircraft damage due to bird strikes, including a Vistara A320 (UK 611) on 18 April 2019, and an Indigo A320 (6E 846) on 20 June 2019, both of which suffered radome damage. Additionally, a GoAir flight (G8 221) on 26 June 2019 had to return after takeoff due to engine vibrations caused by a bird strike.

Maulekhi said that despite multiple representations to government authorities, no concrete action had been taken. Left with no alternative, she approached the Delhi High Court, seeking urgent intervention to address this growing public safety concern.