Civil Aviation Ministry has approved a Defence Ministry proposal for construction of a "Shradhanjali Sthal" at Delhi Airport for paying homage to martyred soldiers at an alternative site after objections were raised regarding the suitability of the existing spot.
Objections had been raised about the present location where homage is paid at Delhi Airport to soldiers who lay down their lives in the line of duty as it is located in the cargo area.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore, a retired Army Colonel himself, had brought it to the notice of Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
In a letter to Raju in March, Rathore had said the location for the ceremony where a wreath is laid on behalf of the President, who is the Supreme Commander of armed forces, was a junkyard at Terminal 2 (cargo).
Rathore also said while the Army had, in consultation with and permission of Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), created a 'Shradhanjali Sthal' for the ceremony, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the nodal aviation security agency, had barred the defence establishment from holding such events in the airside or operational area of the airport.
Responding to Rathore's letter last month, Raju said he had got the issue examined and that "there is a general ban on holding such ceremonies/guard of honour on the airside of the airport".
"However, I am of the considered opinion that shifting of the 'sthal' to any other location other than the airside of the airport would be an ideal and viable solution to this problem," Raju said.
Such a location, he said, would not be in violation of any BCAS circulars or orders.
Raju also referred to the discussion he had in this regard with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in June.
"Accordingly, I have conveyed no objection to the Ministry of Defence for construction of 'Shraddhanjali Sthal' at an alternate site which would not hamper the Civil Aviation operations at the airport," Raju said.
