Drones, unmanned vehicles banned in Srinagar after Jammu attack

A week after the drone attacks at the Indian Air Force Station in Jammu, Srinagar has ordered ban on use, possession and sale of drones and unmanned aerial vehicles in the district. Earlier, ban was placed in Rajouri and Kathua, both bordering district in Jammu region.

According to a 3 July order issued by the office of district magistrate Mohammad Aijaz, those having drones or other similar unmanned aerial vehicles must deposit them with police. Government departments using drones for survey and surveillance activities in agricultural, environmental conservation and disaster mitigation sectors have been asked to inform the local police station before using them.

The order issued by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar reads, “Whereas, vide letter No.CS/1-21/ 10577-78 dt: 29-6-2021 the Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar has recommended that reasonable restrictions may be imposed on the storage, sale/ possession, use and transport of drones in Srinagar District.”

Whereas, flying unmanned aircraft (drones) is governed by Aircraft Act, 1934 and Civil Aviation Rules 2021 which restrict flying drones (UAV) in prohibited areas viz: Within a distance of 3 km from the perimeter of any civil, private, defence airports, military installations/facilities, state secretariat complex; within 2 km from the perimeter of strategic locations/vital installation; and over eco-sensitive zones around national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

It further added, “Whereas, the decentralised airspace access has to be regulated in view of recent episodes of misuse of drones posing threat to security infrastructure as reported by the media/other reliable sources. Whereas, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has provided draft guidelines/standard operating protocol to regulate the use of drones in terms of weight classification, generation of Unique Identification Number, Height/Altitude restrictions, Speed restriction, Enforcement Panel action, etc.”

“Whereas, with a view to secure the aerial space near the vital installations and highly populated areas, it is imperative to discontinue the use of drones in all social and cultural gatherings to eliminate any risk of injury to the life and damage to property. Whereas, keeping in view the security situation apart from concerns of breach of privacy, nuisance and trespass, it is extremely dangerous to let unmanned aerial vehicles wander around in the skies within the territorial jurisdiction of district Srinagar,” the order copy reads.

It adds, “Now, therefore, in view of above, 1, Mohammad Aljaz, IAS, District Magistrate, Srinager in exercise of powers vested in me by virtue of section 144 of Cr.P.C Impose restrictions/ban on the storage, sale/possession, use and transport of drones/similar kind of Unmanned aerial vehicles in the territorial jurisdiction of district Srinagar.”

The Srinagar administration’s order comes at a time when security is on high alert in the Union Territory following the drone attack at the Jammu Air Force base in the early hours last Sunday.

Two explosions at the base left two Indian Air Force personnel injured. This was the first such instance of drones used in a terror attack on an Indian military facility.