Organising a party at a venue near the Bhopal airport with arrangements for laser lights to impress guests? Beware as your party lights can just lead to some serious airport runway mishap. Also, you might just attract some uninvited guests, the cops. Event management companies have started using high range laser beam lights during receptions and cultural celebrations in marriage gardens located around Raja Bhoj Airport. These lights are becoming an obstacle in the safe landing of planes. Pilots have complained about this several times to the airport authority. The authority has now sought co-operation from the district administration. The authority wants its use to be strictly prohibited within five kilometre radius of the airport.

These days the tradition of making design stage has started in events. High range laser beam lights are used with the LED mapping stage amidst loud music. The focus of this light is visible far in the sky. Meanwhile, if an aircraft is landing, then there is an obstacle in clear visibility. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has recommended a ban on this. The matter was also raised in the meeting of the Airport Environment Committee.

Airport Director Ramji Awasthi urged Divisional Commissioner Malsingh and Collector Ashish Singh to issue prohibitory orders in this regard. According to pilots, laser beam light is generally used only at night time. Sometimes the laser light hits the crew’s eyes during landing, causing confusion. Pilots start thinking about changing the aircraft’s altitude by seeing laser lights instead of the approach lighting system. If this light is seen many times, then the direction of landing can change, which can prove to be extremely dangerous for the safety of passengers. The glare effect of high range laser light can be a concern. The pilots have made the same complaint to the AAI. Three years ago, the then Collector Tarun Pithode had issued orders to ban the use of this light in marriage gardens near the airport, but the administration itself could not implement it. Now the airport authority has again sought help from the district administration. Ramji Awasthi, Airport Director, said that considering that laser light can become a hindrance in the safe landing of planes, we have sought co-operation from the district administration. This topic was also discussed in the meeting of the Environment Committee. An order regarding the ban is likely to be issued soon.