Ahmedabad: Starting today and continuing until Diwali, drones will not be allowed to fly freely around 201 sensitive premises and structures in Ahmedabad. The city police on Saturday reissued its notification on airspace restrictions, which is renewed every 60 days under national regulations.

Of the total locations, 36 are marked as ‘Red Zones’ where drone operations are completely banned within a 3-km radius. Another 165 are classified as ‘Yellow Zones’, where drones may be permitted under specific conditions with prior approval from authorities.

The notification highlights security concerns, warning that anti-national elements or terrorists could misuse drones, microlight aircraft or paragliders to target the city, as seen in incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. It states the curbs are necessary to protect public safety and property. The order, effective until October 16, applies to all UAVs except those used by government security agencies. Violators may face action under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 223 for disobeying orders of a public servant. Drone permissions and zone details are available on the DGCA’s Digital Sky platform.

The 36 Red Zones cover high-security and critical infrastructure sites such as:

• Research hubs like ISRO, SAC and PRL.

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad Cantonment, Camp Hanuman Temple and Gujarat ACB office.

• Air Force station, CRPF camp in Vastral, Sabarmati Central Jail and Gujarat High Court.

• GMERS Sola Civil Hospital and Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

• Power facilities including Torrent Power, UGVCL, GETCO and GEB premises.

• Oil and gas installations of ONGC, IOC and HPCL.

• Telecom exchanges in Khokhra and Vasna.

• Key landmarks like Narendra Modi Stadium, Income Tax headquarters, FCI godown and Maniyasa water tank. DeshGujarat