National

The Runway Between Life And Death

Those living in Laxminagar area of Meghaninagar share their compound with the Ahmedabad airport runway. On that day, it was a close shave for them, they say

Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

Over the years, they have gotten used to dozens of flight zooming past over their heads

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

The Laxminagar area in Meghaninagar is very close to the airport and to the crash site

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

Residents living in the densely populated area can see the airport runways from their terraces

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

Residents say during monsoon and in winter, the flights fly at a very low altitude

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

The sound of aircraft zooming past at night is especially scary, they say

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

Since the day of the crash, the residents are extremely scared. They feel it was a close shave for them

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

Madhu Ben, who has been living in the area for three generations, says the residents are extremely distraught after the crash

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

Her husband Rishin bhai says about 30 years ago only two flights use to take off from the airport, now the airport resembles a bus stop with dozens of flights parked at any given point in time

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

The residents are grateful that the flight did not crash in their locality. It would have been impossible for ambulances and fire brigades to enter the narrow lanes

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Air India Plane Crashed Near Ahmedabad Airport
Photo: Vikram Sharma/Outlook

The worse affected are children who are traumatised after the crash

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