The Maharashtra government may have to scrap its plan to set up helipads on the rooftop of buildings in Mumbai. The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), in an affidavit, told the Bombay high court that it does not support new helipads in Mumbai.

The MoEF is of the view that while the noise rules do not specifically debar private helipads, in view of the high ambient noise levels in Mumbai in general both during day and night, such new helipads are avoidable.

The affidavit was filed in response to a PIL filed by the city-based Awaaz Foundation, which had contended that the proposal for helipads would result in noise pollution.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had conducted tests and found that the sound of helicopters taking off and landing was 100-120 dB. This was double the norms for residential areas and silence zone areas of between 45 decibels and 55 decibels.

The state has plans to set up at least 12 helipads across the city. It had issued a directive to the BMC to amend its construction rules to allow new residential and commercial buildings to have helipads on their rooftops or on open spaces.

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