At 695, Delhi airport sees maximum number of bird hit incidents since 2020

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, which is also the largest airport in the country, has experienced 41 bird hits this year till June alone. It witnessed 185 bird hits in 2023, and 183 such cases in 2022, as per the reply. Last year, IGI airport reported 130 bird-hit cases.

“To ensure safety of aircraft operations related to wildlife hazard, requirements to develop Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP) and to establish procedures have been mandated,” Mohol said in his reply.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the airport operator, has implemented a number of measures in the last few years, the reply stated, to mitigate bird-hit and wildlife strike incidents. According to the reply, the key measures include bird repellent and rodent control measures, scientific and rescue measures, habitat and insect management, biological and chemical control methods, and awareness and collaboration initiatives.

DIAL has also previously noted that “certain concerns impede the operations of airport authorities, notably, bird strikes during aircraft take-off and landing phase. The occasional collisions between aircraft and birds consistently draw significant attention from aviation regulators and airports.”

The operator has advised people to “avoid throwing household and kitchen waste near the Airport as it can attract birds and rodents, increasing the chances of bird strike.” Other suggestions for people include avoiding feeding birds and pigeons near the airport, as well as avoiding slaughtering animals in open areas, as this is unhealthy and unhygienic, and the residue will attract birds. “Additionally…any abandoned buildings, structures, or trees with a possibility of bat movements should immediately be informed to Delhi Airport,” DIAL had said earlier.