HAL Airport Height Restrictions: Bangalore Property Guide

What Legal Checks Are Needed When a Flat Is Near HAL Airport in Bangalore and the Building May Violate Height Restrictions?

By the Property Law Team | Legal Brigade | Bar Council of Karnataka

When a Bangalore flat is in a building situated near Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Airport – the older airport in the HAL area of eastern Bangalore that handles military and civilian defence aviation – or near Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli, the building must comply with the Airports Authority of India’s height restriction zones established under the Aircraft Act 1934 and the AAI’s Obstacle Limitation Surfaces framework, which designate specific maximum height limits for structures at varying distances from the airport’s runway centre line and approach path – and a building that exceeds the maximum height permitted in its specific zone has violated the AAI’s restrictions, requires the removal of the excess height or risks DGCA and AAI enforcement action.

What Are Airport Height Restriction Zones and How Do They Affect Buildings?

The Airports Authority of India establishes Obstacle Limitation Surfaces – a set of imaginary planes extending outward and upward from the runway ends and the airport boundary – that define the maximum height at which any structure (building, tree, tower or any other obstacle) can exist in the area around an airport without posing a risk to aircraft operations. The OLS framework includes: the Inner Horizontal Surface (a flat circle around the airport at a defined height); the Conical Surface (sloping outward and upward from the Inner Horizontal Surface); the Approach and Takeoff Surfaces (sloping downward toward the runway ends along the approach path); and the Transitional Surfaces (connecting the runway strip to the other surfaces).

Any structure within these OLS zones must comply with the height limits defined by the applicable surface at that location. A building that exceeds the OLS height limit in its specific zone is an obstacle to safe aircraft operations. The AAI and the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) have the power to direct the removal or reduction of any structure that violates the OLS height limits. BBMP building plan sanctions for areas near airports are supposed to reflect the AAI’s height restrictions – but in practice, some buildings have been sanctioned and constructed at heights that violate the OLS limits.

Table 1: Airport Height Restriction Zone Categories Near Bangalore Airports

How Does the HAL Airport Situation Differ From Kempegowda International Airport?

HAL Airport in Bangalore’s eastern suburb (Surjapura, Bellandur and the HAL residential colony areas) is primarily a defence aviation facility that also handles civilian operations. Its OLS zones affect residential development in the eastern corridor of Bangalore – particularly in the areas of Indiranagar, Domlur, Murugeshpalya, Bellandur and parts of Whitefield that are under the HAL Airport’s approach and departure paths. Buildings in these areas have faced BBMP building plan sanction complications related to HAL Airport’s height restrictions.

Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli has a larger OLS zone affecting development in the northern Bangalore Metropolitan Region. The northern corridor’s rapid development – Hebbal, Thanisandra, Yelahanka, Devanahalli and the IT corridor along the NH 44 – has brought residential development progressively closer to the airport’s OLS zones. The AAI has periodically issued height restriction notifications for the Kempegowda Airport’s OLS zones that BBMP and the BMRDA must incorporate into building plan sanctions.

How Do I Check Whether a Building Near an Airport Complies With Height Restrictions?

Step 1: Confirm whether the building is within any airport’s OLS zone. For HAL Airport, properties in Indiranagar, Domlur, Murugeshpalya and Bellandur should be specifically checked. For Kempegowda Airport, properties in Hebbal, Yelahanka, Devanahalli and the NH 44 corridor should be checked.

Step 2: Ask the developer for the AAI’s No Objection Certificate for the building’s height. A building near an airport that exceeds a certain height threshold requires an AAI NOC before BBMP can sanction the building plan. The AAI NOC confirms the building’s height complies with the OLS framework.

Step 3: Confirm the building plan sanction references the AAI NOC for the building height. A BBMP plan sanction for a tall building near an airport should specifically reference the AAI NOC as a sanction condition.

Step 4: Physically assess the building’s height and confirm it does not appear to be substantially taller than the neighbouring buildings in the same zone – a significantly taller building in an airport zone warrants specific investigation.

Step 5: Have a property lawyer confirm the AAI NOC position and the OLS compliance for the specific building before any purchase commitment.

Table 2: Airport NOC and Height Compliance Documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the Obstacle Limitation Surface framework and why does it apply to buildings near airports?

The Obstacle Limitation Surface framework is a set of imaginary planes around an airport that define the maximum height at which any structure can exist without posing a risk to aircraft operations. The framework is established under the Aircraft Act 1934 and the AAI’s technical regulations. Any structure within the OLS zones – buildings, trees, towers or any other obstacle – must comply with the height limits defined by the applicable surface at that location to ensure safe aircraft operations during approach and departure.

Q2. Which areas of Bangalore are most affected by airport height restrictions?

For HAL Airport: Indiranagar, Domlur, Murugeshpalya, Kodihalli, Old Airport Road areas and parts of Bellandur and Whitefield under the HAL approach and departure paths. For Kempegowda International Airport: Hebbal, Yelahanka, Thanisandra, Devanahalli, Doddaballapura and the NH 44 northern corridor up to 30-40 km from the airport. Buildings in these areas that exceed certain heights require AAI NOCs.

Q3. Does the BBMP automatically check airport height restrictions before sanctioning a building plan?

BBMP’s building plan sanction process includes a requirement to obtain AAI NOC for buildings above a specified height threshold in the airport zone. In theory, BBMP should not sanction a building that violates the OLS limits. In practice, some buildings near airports have been sanctioned and constructed without adequate AAI NOC verification – particularly in transitional areas where the OLS boundary is not clearly demarcated on the ground. This creates a gap between the regulatory requirement and the actual compliance of some buildings.

Q4. What happens if a building near HAL Airport is found to violate the OLS height limits?

If a building is found to violate the OLS height limits, the AAI or DGCA can issue a direction requiring the removal of the excess height – demolishing the top floors of the building to bring it within the permitted height. This is a catastrophic outcome for all flat owners in the affected floors and a significant disruption for the entire building. The AAI can also charge the building owner for the cost of installing additional warning lighting on the building to alert aircraft to the obstacle.

Q5. Can the AAI issue a direction to demolish floors of an existing building for OLS violation?

Yes – the AAI and DGCA have the statutory authority under the Aircraft Act 1934 to require the removal of any obstacle that penetrates the OLS surface and creates a hazard to aircraft operations. The direction can require demolition of the offending portion of the building. Existing buildings that received their OC before the airport’s OLS was formally established or before the AAI’s specific height restriction notification was issued are in a more complex position – but the aviation safety interest typically prevails over the building owner’s vested interest in the existing construction.

Q6. Is the AAI NOC visible in the EC for the property?

The AAI NOC is a regulatory clearance document – it does not create a registered entry in the sub-registrar’s EC. The EC records registered documents related to the property’s title and encumbrances, not regulatory approvals. The AAI NOC must be obtained directly from the building plan documents or from the developer – the EC review alone will not reveal whether an AAI NOC was obtained or whether the building complies with the OLS height limits.

Q7. Does the OLS framework apply equally to HAL Airport and to Kempegowda International Airport?

Both airports have OLS frameworks under the AAI’s regulations – but the specific dimensions and the height limits vary based on each airport’s runway characteristics, approach paths and the type of aircraft operations conducted. HAL Airport’s OLS is designed for the mix of military and civilian aviation that the airport handles. Kempegowda International Airport’s OLS is designed for full international operations with large commercial aircraft and is more extensive in its geographic coverage.

Q8. What if the building near HAL Airport has been standing for decades without any enforcement action?

A building that has been standing near HAL Airport for decades without AAI enforcement action is a positive indicator but not a guarantee of OLS compliance. The AAI periodically reassesses the OLS framework and can identify new violations when the assessment is updated. Additionally, if HAL Airport’s operational status changes – if civilian operations expand, if runway extensions are planned or if instrument approach procedures change – the OLS may be reassessed and buildings that were previously tolerated may be identified as new violations.

Q9. Can a buyer get home loan insurance for a flat that may violate airport height restrictions?

Home loan insurance typically covers the bank’s risk of the borrower’s default – not the risk of regulatory enforcement against the building. A flat that is subsequently found to violate airport height restrictions and is subject to partial demolition would see its value decline significantly. The home loan insurance does not cover this loss. The buyer’s best protection is to confirm the AAI NOC before purchase rather than relying on insurance to cover a subsequently discovered violation.

Q10. How does Legal Brigade check airport height restriction compliance during property verification?

Legal Brigade’s regulatory overlay assessment for properties near Bangalore’s airports includes: confirming whether the property is within the OLS zone of HAL Airport or Kempegowda International Airport based on the specific survey number and the airport’s published OLS charts; confirming the developer obtained an AAI NOC for the building’s height; confirming the BBMP building plan sanction references the AAI NOC; and assessing whether any DGCA or AAI enforcement notice has been issued for the building. Where a compliance gap is identified, Legal Brigade advises on the enforcement risk and the AAI’s current regulatory position for the specific building.

Buying a flat in a Bangalore building in the HAL Airport area, Indiranagar, Domlur or the Devanahalli corridor near Kempegowda Airport? The AAI NOC check and the OLS height compliance assessment confirm the aviation height restriction risk

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Frequently Asked Questions