ECOLOGICAL URBANISM

P.TEJA SIVA SRINIVAS

A/2256/2010

PROPOSITION
By their nature, use, form and size, many of the large scale architectural projects such as airport
terminals and high rise buildings etc., are often considered as spaces extraneous to the ecology and
difficult to integrate into the local context. Yet their infrastructure is playing an ever more important
role in local development, modifying not just the aspect, but also the social structure, economy and
environmental quality of the surrounding area. Infrastructure on this scale benefits society as a
whole, but the environmental effects are a particularly heavy burden on the communities directly
involved. How is the ecology modified by such projects? What is meant by ecological urbanism?
Can the infrastructure be integrated following ecological criteria? How can such projects be
integrated into the local context? What design innovations and technologies can be used? How can
we combine todays technological requirements with the need for unforeseen new functions in the
future? In the future, how might disused infrastructure possibly be recycled?
PROPOSITION 1 : ECOLOGICAL AIRPORT URBANISM
Role of Airports in Infrastructure Development

Airports being nuclei of economic activity assume a significant role in the national economy.
The quality of airport infrastructure, which is a vital component of the overall transportation
network, contributes directly to a country's international competitiveness and the flow of
foreign investment. While cargo carried by air in India weighs less than 1% of the total cargo
exported, it accounts for 35% of the total value of exports. Better cargo handling facilities
lead to enhanced levels of importation, especially of capital goods and high-value items.
Likewise, 97% of the country's foreign tourists arrive by air and tourism is the nation's
second largest foreign exchange earner.
Airports also represent a country's window on the world. Passengers form their first
impressions about a nation from the state of its airports. They can be effectively used as
symbols of national pride, if we pay sufficient attention to their quality and maintenance.
In many remote, hilly and inaccessible areas of the country, air transport is the quickest and
sometimes the only mode of travel available. This is especially true of sensitive regions on
the borders with our neighbours in the west, north and north-east.
Airports need to be integrated with other modes of transport like Railways and Highways,
enabling seamless transportation to all parts of the country.

ECOLOGICAL URBANISM

P.TEJA SIVA SRINIVAS

A/2256/2010

PROJECT
The proposed project is Development and Modernization of Agatti Airport, Gateway to Lakshadweep
and the only airport off the West Coast. The Airport at Agatti is situated between latitude and
longitude in the South West direction. In line with the mission of Airport Authority of India, One of
the objectives of Airport is to make it safe for landing and Takeoff conforming to the ICAO norms.
JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT
The project is justified because of following reasons

The Existing Airports are required to obtain licensces from Director General Civil Aviation for
operations. As per norms, length of Runway at Agatti for ATR-72-500 requires 1540 mts
without load penalty. The basic strip required for VFR (Visual Flight Rule) operation of aircraft is
150 mts. No construction or obstruction is allowed in the basic strip of 150 mts. However
existing airport has runway length of 1204m and basic strip of varying width from 68 metres to
110 m without RESA. and has terminal building and ATC tower in the basic strip , these all
features make it unsafe for passengers and Aircrafts.

To

conform to DGCA CAR and licensing requirements, the basic strip on either side of the
runway needs to be provided and the runway needs to be extended, to accommodate ATR type
of aircraft operations, without load penalty. In addition, an apron for proper parking, a terminal
building, as per IMG norms, a suitably located ATC cum Technical Block, Fire Station and
Electrical Sub-Station are also required to be constructed.

To provide all weather connectivity to Lakshadweep as ship connectivity is erratic, presently

Safety Concerns, the international navigation route from Africa to Sri lanka and South East Asia
is passing very near to the Lakshadweep islands and is the only Airport off west coast. This will
help in containing the terror of Sea pirates, taking care of Maldives like situation where it was
attacked by terrorists and increasing the safety and security of islands.

The

Lakshadweep is the only Coral islands of the India and has got huge potential for
International and Domestic Tourism. Govt of Lakshadweep is trying to promote tourism as it is
the only major source of earning for the Govt. of Lakshadweep and people of Lakshadweep.

Increasing the GDP of Lakshadweep by increasing the tourist both national and international
and export of Tuna fish.

ECOLOGICAL URBANISM

P.TEJA SIVA SRINIVAS

A/2256/2010

PROPOSED INTERVENTIONS
The resurfacing of the existing runway has been completed in November, 2010 and the following
works are planned, as per the revised master plan:-

Extension of the existing runway by 336m towards Kalpati Island without interconnecting the two
islands.
Provision of RESA and blast pad at both ends of runway with 150 mts basic strip.
Construction of new Terminal building, ATC tower cum Technical block & Fire Station. Also, the
existing Control Tower cum fire station and existing Terminal building which is falling in the
proposed basic strip will need to be demolished.
New Apron for two ATR-72 parking bays & two helicopter stands.
Due to land constraints, it is proposed to extend the runway in the south-west direction over the
lagoon and develop the apron & terminal building with allied infrastructure in the north-west
direction by constructing a platform supported by R.C.C pillars on the lagoon. The conventional
method of construction would be adopted. R.C.C Platform and steel columns and glass faade.
The following are other proposed components of the development of Agatti Airport.
(i) Runway End Safety Area:
60m X 90 M
(ii) Blast Pad/Over run:
60M x 30 M
(iii) ATC Tower and Fire Stations:
2025 sq.m and ht : 12 meters
(iv) Basic-Strip:
75 meters on either side of Runway strip,
Total 150 meters.
(v) Helipad:
Helicopter Apron of size
74 m x 30 m,
Link taxi track from Runway to Apron of dimension 73m X 18m with 3.5m shoulders on either
side of the taxi track.
Parking area for 75 cars about 2000 sq. Mts.
APRON for parking aircrafts
New Apron of size 118m x 62 m suitable for parking two ATR-72 with power-in and power-out
configuration to be constructed on a platform supported by RCC pillars in the lagoon.
Provision of shoulders of 3.5m width around the Apron.

Terminal Building : Fully air conditioned Terminal building of area 2250 Sq.m to cater for 150
passengers at a time (75 arriving and 75 departing) as per IMG norms.
Some operations are also planned in Kalpatti Island. : Proposed DVOR (Doppler Very high Omni
Range) and NDB (Non Directional Radio Beacon). These are navigational instruments.
Proposed Jetty terminal also to be integrated with the aiport terminal with recreational and
amusement facilities to act as a gateway and establish identity for the islands.

ECOLOGICAL URBANISM

P.TEJA SIVA SRINIVAS

A/2256/2010

ELECTRICITY
Electrification of Lakshadweep Islands was initiated during the second Five Year Plan. Initially, power
supply was limited to 6 - 12 hours till 1982-83. Round the clock power supply is provided in all the
Islands since 1983.
Starting with modest capacity of 51.6 kilo Watts in 1962 from two Diesel Generating Sets, the
Lakshadweep Electricity Department has grown up by leaps and bounds with generating capacity of
15415 KW from 46 Diesel Generating Sets and 12 SPV Power Plants as on 01/09/2009.
The power generated has been steadily increasing over the years to meet the demand of the people
in the Islands. Since, the Diesel Generating sets were the only source of power, diesel has to be
transported from Calicut (Kerala) in barrels. These barrels are transported in cargo barges to the
Islands and stored for use. To alleviate this problem of transportation, oil storage facilities initially at
Kavaratti and Minicoy Islands are under installation.
The increase in demand for power in Islands is at 5% per annum. It is in this scenario, that the
environment awareness becomes crucial. To reduce the threats of pollution, Electricity Department
of Lakshadweep has introduced new methods of power generation to safe guard the beauty of these
coral Islands and its people along with fauna and flora.
It is here that the use of Solar Power which is clean, eco-friendly and abundantly available,
becomes a viable option, starting with a 5 kWp SPV Power Plant at Bitra on an experimental basis,
today it reached 1065 kWp.
All the households in the inhabited Islands have been electrified. New service connections are
provided on receipt of request. Transmission lines as well as distribution lines have been converted
into U.G. cables in all the Islands. Electronic Energy meters have been introduced in consumer
premises with computerised billing in all the cash collection centres. Self meter reading by
consumers themselves is in vogue from 1988 onwards.
Departmental staff are available in fuse off call centres in all the Islands, 24 hours, 7days a week to
respond to service connection complaints / service emergencies.
ENERGY-CONSERVATION
Department distributes Solar Lanterns, Improved Chullah, Energy efficient lamps and Pressure
Cookers to public at concessional / subsidised rates for conserving costly electrical energy.
Most of the islands are still being powered up by diesel generator sets and since this is of great harm
to the ecology of the site, the large span structures coming over should add to the resources rather
than taking away from the grid.

ECOLOGICAL URBANISM

P.TEJA SIVA SRINIVAS

A/2256/2010

PROPOSITION 2: ECOLOGICAL ULTRA HIGH RISE