Short circuit exposes absence of emergency exit in new ATC bldg
Times of India | 15 October 2025
Kolkata: A short circuit at the new air traffic control (ATC) tower on Oct 7 blew the on off a major flaw in the design. The facility, which is crucial to flight operation at Kolkata airport, does not have an emergency exit.
The trial operations that were suspended have resumed. But sources said the facility could begin full-fledged operations from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety, and the fire department only when the missing emergency exit was put in place.
The flaw came to light when five controllers reported for duty on Oct 7. As soon as they entered the glass facility, they were met with smoke and an acrid smell, associated with an electrical fire.
Though the controllers immediately retreated, they realised there was only one entry and exit to the tower. If the controllers had been at work and the fire occurred near the sole exit, they would have been trapped there. Though the cause of the smoke was a short circuit in the AC system, all electrical wiring and equipment were checked.
The trial operations have since resumed but controllers are not comfortable working in a place without an emergency exit.
An emergency exit was added to the existing tower nearly two decades ago to meet safety regulations.
"The tower has been in operation on a trial basis between 2 pm and 4 pm every weekday since March 24. But it has come to light only now that there is no emergency exit. The lapse is shocking," said an official. Sources said the safety risk was earlier flagged in the upper echelons, but no solution emerged. Now, there are discussions about building a nearly 180-ft-tall steel staircase on the exterior to create the emergency exit.
Not only would this spoil the aesthetics of the structure, but also meant additional expenditure, said an official. The tower and the technical block were built for Rs 458 crore.
"The new tower cannot become fully operational until modern automation equipment is bought. The procurement tender is yet to be floated and it will take at least a year and a half more. The facility was made operational hastily with old equipment to show that it is being utilised and not kept idle to prevent adverse comments from the Comptroller and Auditor General. But this should not have been done until the safety issue of a second emergency exit was addressed," said a veteran controller.