Flight Ops Temporarily Suspended At Imphal Airport After Drone Sighting

Flight operations were temporarily suspended at the International airport in Imphal in Manipur, on Monday afternoon after a drone was sighted, raising security concerns, officials said.

A senior official of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) said that an IndiGo flight from Agartala to Imphal reported the sighting of a drone on its final approach path from the city side, at an altitude between 3,600 and 4,000 feet.

"In view of the report, flight operations at Imphal International Airport were temporarily suspended as a precautionary safety measure. Normal operations resumed only after the incident was promptly reported to Manipur Police and necessary security clearance was obtained from Manipur Police," the official said.

The AAI official said that the public is strictly advised not to operate drones in and around the airport vicinity, including Imphal City (East and West), Nambol, and Bishnupur areas.

Unauthorised drone operations pose a serious risk to aircraft safety, may lead to the temporary closure of the airport, and cause significant inconvenience to passengers, he said.

The AAI official cautioned that any violation of drone operation regulations will invite strict legal action in accordance with applicable laws.

Ensuring the safety and security of passengers and aircraft operations remains our highest priority, he added.

Located 6 km from the capital city (Imphal), Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal (Manipur) operates flights connecting Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Agartala and other cities of the country.

Imphal West district Superintendent of Police Shivakanta Singh, while urging people not to fly drones in areas adjacent to the airport, said, "If anyone is found flying a drone between Sanjenthong and Kwakeithel, please inform the police immediately so that it can be brought down. It is affecting flight movement."

He cautioned that violations of drone regulations will invite strict legal action under the law. Last year, Assam Rifles had deployed anti-drone systems in the fringe areas of Imphal Valley in Manipur to repel any "rogue drones".

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is deployed in Manipur in large numbers due to the ethnic violence, has also tested an anti-drone system and "given it to the force deployed in the state".

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