The new air traffic control (ATC) tower in Mumbai is India’s tallest, at a height of 84 metres. It will hold this record till the 102-metre tower of Indira Gandhi International Airport is commissioned in Delhi.

The tower offers controllers clear visibility for up to 8 km, giving them a view of the entire operational area of the airport. The tower will be equipped with electronic flight controllers, again a first in India. This will reduce the workload of the controllers.

Once the tower is fully operational, the GVK Power & Insfrastructure-promoted Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) will be able to increase the number of aircraft movements per hour to 48 from a peak capacity of 46 at present.

The Mumbai ATC handles approximately 750 landings and takeoffs daily in addition to controlling international overflying traffic. The new tower was jointly inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, and Mumbai International Airport’s Executive Chairman, G.V.K. Reddy.

>adith.charlie@thehindu.co.in

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