| MUMBAI : After Janmat Abhiyaan was launched in July
this year wherein Janmat voiced the bad situation of Mumbai roads, the channel
has taken up issues that focused on the governments lack of initiative in issues
such as the farmers suicide, the chikanguniya epidemic, the impending drug scene
in Mumbai and the sting operation carried out thereafter and the floods in Yevatmal
district. The latest eyeopener is the sorry state of the Mumbai airports. India's
financial, commercial, entertainment capital plays host to two of the busiest
airports in India, the Chatrapati Shivaji international airport and the Santa
Cruz domestic airport. Janmat highlights this problem on 5th December in
its hourly programme 'News and Views' showcasing the total disinterest shown by
the government in safeguarding passengers interest. With the Indian economy
creating immense business opportunities the airports are having a rated capacity
of placing more than a million passengers per annum. The vision and anticipation
of a very dynamic, young and up market India blurs as the aircraft readies for
a touch down. As you approach Mumbai you fly over clusters of corrugated
- roofed tops clustered on hillsides around the end of the main runway, which
gives a dire image of the city to all visitors. Slums pose a big threat to the
airports as the boundary wall of the slum and the airport are at the same height
thereby raising critical security concerns. At points of landing and take
off, aircrafts taxi past the slums at a particular height, metres from the shanties
that line the periphery of the airport wall where even a single Diwali cracker
rocket launched can reach them. Janmat found many loopholes that make the tarmac
almost a playground for these settlers who often climb over the wall and get into
the airport area unnoticed. Janmat found out that in the 11 foot high boundary
wall which envelops an area of 20 to 25 acres were riddled with holes making it
easy to access for anyone to enter the airport tarmac. Besides this they
also found that a wall built around the airport taxiway is falling apart. It was
no wonder then that a localizer was stolen from runway 27 two years ago and this
theft had delayed domestic and international flights considerably. A Localizer
is an integral part of the instrument landing system (ILS). While a few of the
slums were relocated in 2003 to the high risk factor at a cost of 25 cores, the
problem still exist today as Janmat found out, with many slum dwellers still staying
put in their shanties. Currently handling more than 45 landings and take offs
per hour, the airport authorities. | 
