TVM airport spends ₹12 crore annually to keep birds off runway

Thiruvananthapuram: The international airport spends a whopping Rs 3,24,000 daily to keep the runways clear. It also costs approximately Rs 11,82,60,000 annually to purchase firecrackers to scare birds off and prevent bird strikes on aircraft. Firecrackers are burst at 12 spots in various parts of the airport to eliminate the birds. Around 200 gundu (high-intensity firecracker) and 50 rockets are fired in each shift; there are two shifts each during morning and evening. Besides, guns and rockets, sky shots burst in three layers in the sky, too, are used to scare off the birds.

Employees manning the 12 posts would check for the presence of birds before each landing and take–off. Meanwhile, around 30 employees have been appointed to two shifts just for this purpose. They are paid a monthly salary of Rs 24,000; so, it would cost up to Rs 7,20,000 every month to pay the salaries of 30 employees. Besides, birds and doves are raised in 15 houses close to the airport. Grass that is not susceptible to insect attacks are grown in the airfield to attract fewer birds. Special varieties of grass that grow up to 50 centimetres tall are planted near the runway to prevent birds from resting on the ground in flocks.

Doves prey in flocks, so tall grass has been planted, assuming that it would block the birds’ sight. Meanwhile, the corporation has not been able to find an effective solution for the waste problem on both sides of the Ponnara bridge, which attracts flocks of birds.

Air India suffered bird strike
An Air India flight cancelled on Sunday evening due to a bird strike was moved to the hangar for safety inspections. 183 passengers in the Delhi-bound flight who were accommodated in the nearby hotels were sent in two flights yesterday. The Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram flight that landed at 6.30 pm on Sunday was hit by birds 200 feet above ground. Although the pilot had safely landed the aircraft, its return trip was cancelled.