Civil Aviation Ministry seeks automated, transparent and decentralised NOC system to speed up building and infrastructure approvals without compromising aviation safety

Key Highlights

• Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu reviews reforms to simplify the No Objection Certificate (NOC) process.
• Officials directed to work out modalities and initiate action within 15 days.
• Government proposes greater automation, transparency and decentralisation with minimal manual intervention.
• Applicants could receive permissible building-height information at the initial stage in cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
• Government examines simpler procedures for Aeronautical Studies and documentation requirements.
• NOCAS currently covers areas within 20 km for VFR and 56 km for IFR operations.
• Possibility of issuing NOCs at the Urban Local Body (ULB) level to reduce direct applications to AAI is being examined.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is moving to simplify and automate the process for obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs) related to aviation requirements, with the government setting a 15-day timeline for officials to work out and initiate the proposed reforms.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu reviewed the measures with senior officials of the Ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), with a focus on improving Ease of Doing Business in the civil aviation sector.

The proposed changes aim to make the NOC process more predictable, transparent and time-bound for individuals, societies, builders and businesses, while retaining the regulatory safeguards required for aviation safety.

Building height information to be made available earlier

One of the measures discussed was providing applicants with information on permissible or identified building heights at the initial stage.

The approach is particularly being considered for major metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

Making height restrictions available upfront could allow developers and other applicants to assess project feasibility before proceeding with detailed planning, helping reduce delays associated with subsequent approvals.

Aeronautical Studies may get simpler approval process

The meeting also examined ways to streamline the process for Aeronautical Studies.

Officials discussed whether physical site verification could be minimised during the initial stage and whether requirements for submitting Building Development Plans and other documents could be rationalised.

The objective is to reduce unnecessary procedural steps while ensuring that proposals continue to meet aviation safety requirements.

NOCAS coverage and decentralisation under review

The existing geographical coverage of the No Objection Certificate Application System (NOCAS) was also reviewed.

At present, NOCAS covers areas within 20 km for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations and 56 km for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations.

The government is examining whether NOCs could be issued at the Urban Local Body level wherever feasible, potentially reducing the need for individuals and businesses to approach AAI directly.

Such decentralisation could make the approval process more accessible for construction and development projects located within regulated aviation zones.

15-day deadline for implementation modalities

Minister Rammohan Naidu directed officials to examine the proposed reforms and work out modalities for simplifying, automating and decentralising the NOC process.

The concerned authorities have been asked to take necessary action within 15 days.

The Ministry said the broader objective is to provide faster and time-bound clearances while making relevant data and permissible building-height information transparently available in the public domain, including through official websites.

The reforms are intended to improve the predictability of aviation-related clearances and support infrastructure development without compromising aviation safety.

Impact on Hospitality, Travel and Tourism

Faster hotel and commercial development: A more predictable building-height clearance process could help reduce approval uncertainty for hotels, resorts, commercial properties and other developments located near airports.

Airport-area investment: Simplified NOCs may support investment around major aviation hubs, where height restrictions and aviation clearances can be important considerations for new construction.

Tourism infrastructure: Faster regulatory processes could support the development of tourism-related infrastructure, particularly in rapidly growing urban and airport-linked destinations.

Improved project planning: Providing permissible height information at an early stage can help hotel and real-estate developers determine project feasibility before committing to detailed designs and investments.

Ease of Doing Business for hospitality: Automation and decentralisation could reduce administrative interactions for developers and businesses, potentially shortening the time required to secure aviation-related clearances.

Better aviation-led connectivity ecosystems: As airports expand and surrounding commercial infrastructure develops, smoother approval processes could contribute to stronger airport cities, business-travel hubs and tourism gateways.

For the hospitality sector, the key significance is the proposed shift towards a simpler, transparent and predictable aviation clearance system. Faster NOC decisions could make airport-linked development easier to plan, while maintaining the safety standards necessary around India’s expanding aviation network.