The horrifying air disaster at Ahmedabad in the western India state of Gujarat in June this year had brought to the fore one very a very significant and important factor.  That the current location of majority of the domestic as well as international airports in India, for that matter across the globe, are needed to be relooked at on priority basis.

            There is an urgent need to shift the present airports to newer and isolated locations at least 70 to 80 kilometres away from the cites and populated areas. More importantly, no construction activities should be allowed within 30 kms radius of the new airports. If necessary, specific laws are needed to be enacted for his purpose.      

             Apart from the 240 and odd passengers of the ill-fated London bound plane, several other innocent civilians were also perished to death when the Boing had a free fall on a densely populated locality within minutes after taking off from the city airport. The non-passengers killed in the tragedy included a group of medicine students whose dreams to be doctors one day and serve the nation and its people were cut short by the unexpected mishap.

            The plane crash landed on the hostel of a medical college located not far away from the city airport. The future medicos were reportedly having their mid-day meal in the dinning hall of the hostel. The lives of several individuals including the doctors could have been saved had the airport been located at an isolated place away from the city.

           Therefore, many in India feel that this is the appropriate time the government should have  re-look at the current locations of the airports across the country and chalk out plans for their. Of course it is definitely going be a costly affair. But the matter has to be looked into as it involves valuable human lives.

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