Ranchi, Oct 20 (IANS) Flouting Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) norms, BJP president Rajnath Singh’s chartered plane took off from Jharkhand’s Dumka airport with only the headlights of jeeps to guide it over the dark, unlit runway Monday evening.
Rajnath Singh, who was in Jharkhand for a one-day visit, landed at Dumka airport Monday afternoon and drove to Godda district, BJP sources said.

Dumka airport has no lighting and the pilot told Rajnath Singh that he should return before 5 p.m. for a safe take-off, a party leader told IANS. But the party president was late and reached Dumka only after sunset at around 6.15 p.m.

When the pilot cited bad light and said he could not take-off, BJP workers brought five jeeps near the runway.

“Dumka does not come under the jurisdiction of the Ranchi ATC (air traffic control). Dumka airport comes under the jurisdiction of Kolkata ATC,” S. Haldhar, deputy general manager of the ATC at the airport here, told IANS.

Ranchi ATC sources said such lights are used in special cases, but this was a clear violation of DGCA guidelines.