surat surat may be the fourthfastest developing city in the world but its airport remains neglected by the airport authority of india aai the entire landscape of the airport is covered with elephant grass and wild plants even as the pasture lands in bhimpore and magdalla are fast depleting due to fastpaced industrialization and real estate projects the stray cattle are thus compelled to look towards the lush green airport fields along the runway at the airport sources said adding that the airport authorities had never bothered to get the grass and plants removed many proposals for the reconstruction of the damaged perimeter walls of the airport and trimming giant grass and wild plants on its premises are pending with the aai authorities for many months there are no funds and no approval is forthcoming an airport officer said what is more on many occasions poisonous snakes like vipers and cobras had been reportedly sighted at the airport premises as a result organizations like prayas and nature club surat have carried out snakerescuing drives inside the airport premises sources said there is presence of russell viper along the coastal belt starting from dumas to vesu the bushy area of the airport is a perfect place for the snakes to hide we have rescued many vipers from the airport premises in the past said snehal patel of nature club surat p m patel police inspector surat airport told toi our security personnel on duty at the airport premises live under constant fear of snakes e h pathan member of we want working airport at surat said we have on many occasions submitted to the airport authorities proposals for the beautification of the airports main area one gets a bad impression after seeing giant wild grass and plants at the airport premises