GUWAHATI: After causing havoc in the heart of the city, artificial floods are now threatening the operation of flights at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport. The approach road to the main entry point to the airport was inundated by rainwater, which made it difficult for passengers to reach the airport on Monday morning. Flight services, however, were not affected as the water has not entered the runway.
"The road for vehicles exiting the airport is under water and most of the parking lots have also been submerged. We do not expect such a situation at an international airport, which is also the biggest in the northeast," said Ranjit Kalita, who manages the parking lot at the airport. He said the parking lot was facing waterlogging problems over the last few days, but the situation worsened after Sunday night's deluge.
Sources said that another spell of heavy rain could disrupt flight schedules. "Artificial flood at LGBI Airport has become a matter of concern. Our officials are discussing the factors behind the reoccurring flood. We are scheduled to meet the civil administration were we are going to study the causes of waterlogging in and around the Airport," said airport director Suresh Hota.
Though Hota refused to confirm he speculation that water from neighbouring Deepor Beel and the Brahmaputra river has entered the airport campus, he said that filling up the low-lying areas near the airport for construction is certainly adding to the crisis. "Construction works in low areas near the airport has reduced the absorption capacity at the airport campus", he said. Filling up of wetlands and the paddy fields close to the airport is causing frequent artificial flood on the LGBI Airport campus in this rainy season, but after heavy downpour on Sunday, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is now assessing the situation.
Few weeks ago, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh landed at the LGBI Airport to visit the flood-ravaged Assam, artificial floods inundated vital points of the airport. And on Sunday, when Union home minister P Chidambaram and senior BJP leader L K Advani arrived in the airport on Monday, similar situation was witnessed.
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