Bird hits down at Ahmedabad airport, monsoon preparedness ends

Ahmedabad: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad has recorded 15 bird strike incidents in the first half of 2026 (Jan-June) compared to 70 across the whole of 2025.

Airport authorities attribute the low bird-hit incidents to a sustained and systematic monsoon preparedness drive carried out in the months leading up to the rainy season.The reduction underscores the effectiveness of the pre-monsoon wildlife hazard management programme that the airport undertook across both its airside and landside areas, targeting the very conditions that the wet season tends to worsen.With the onset of monsoon bringing increased vegetation growth and water accumulation — factors that naturally draw birds and other wildlife closer to runways and flight paths — airport authorities made it a priority to complete the preparedness exercise well before the rains arrived.The drive that ended recently, encompassed extensive drain cleaning to prevent waterlogging, systematic grass cutting to eliminate ground cover that birds favour for foraging and nesting, and insecticide spraying to suppress insects and rodents, which are among the primary food sources that attract avian activity into operational zones.“Rubber removal from runway surfaces and maintenance of critical infrastructure, including chiller plants, formed part of the same coordinated effort to reduce conditions conducive to bird congregation near aircraft movement areas,” an airport source told TOI.The strategy rested on proactive habitat management rather than reactive response, with sustained attention to eliminating food sources, controlling vegetation and improving overall airfield conditions to make the environment around the airport less hospitable to birds throughout the year.“Continuous monitoring of bird movement and habitat conditions is set to remain in place across all seasons, ensuring that the gains made ahead of the monsoon are not eroded as the rains progress and vegetation thickens in and around the airport perimeter,” the source added.Bird strikes are regarded as a serious aviation safety concern because collisions between aircraft and birds can cause significant damage to engines, airframes and other critical systems.The airport, which handles substantial volumes of domestic and international passenger traffic, has consistently maintained wildlife control protocols, but the integrated pre-monsoon push this year appears to have produced results well beyond routine outcomes.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Ahmedabad | Silver Rate in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Petrol Price in Ahmedabad | Diesel Price in Ahmedabad | CNG Price in Ahmedabad | LPG Price in AhmedabadStay updated with the latest Ahmedabad news.

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