Latest news with #OverallReviewofSafetyintheCivilAviationSector
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Need new, fully autonomous aviation safety regulator: Parliamentary panel
A new aviation watchdog with 'full autonomy' must be set up in a 'time-bound manner' to overcome the 'existential threat' facing the country's aviation safety system due to a staffing crisis, a Parliamentary panel has recommended reviving a decade-old demand two months after the Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed 269 people. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture headed by Sanjay K. Jha submitted its report titled 'Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector' before Parliament on Wednesday (August 20, 2025) where it underlined that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was grappling with a 50% shortfall of technical and regulatory personnel with only 553 of the 1,063 sanctioned posts occupied, calling it a 'critical vulnerability' at a time of unprecedented growth in the sector such that it left the regulator 'not in a position to discharge its duties'. The report follows a meeting held by the Committee with various stakeholders in the aviation sector on July 9 following the June 12 crash. 'The lack of administrative and financial autonomy is the single greatest impediment to the DGCA's ability to fulfil its statutory mandate effectively,' the report states, adding that failure to comply with similar recommendations made in the past underline a 'systemic inertia in undertaking fundamental regulatory reform.' The reports referred to are the Naresh Chandra report of 2004 on a roadmap for civil aviation sector and the same Standing Committee's 204th report on the Civil Aviation Authority of India Bill, 2013, submitted in January 2014. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Ministry of Civil Aviation develop a clear and time-bound plan to strengthen the human resource capacity of the aviation safety regulator. The latest report suggests 'full autonomy' through a new regulatory authority that will replace the DGCA by enacting a comprehensive law by analysing the provisions of the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024. It proposes that the Director General be headed and accompanied by a quorum of full-time members 'strictly from a technical background within the aviation sector.' It also categorically mentioned that such an apex authority must not be occupied by retired bureaucrats or secretary-level officers from the Ministry of Civil Aviation which would result in undermining its independence. The Committee held the opinion that the current recruitment method of relying on Union Public Service Commission was tardy resulting in delays in filling up 'critical regulatory positions that require niche expertise'. The second route of deputation from the Indian Air Force too was found to be ineffective as Defense officers were unwilling to join the DGCA because of loss of service benefits and allowances. As a result, though 'it is tasked with overseeing a hyper-dynamic, technologically advanced, and rapidly expanding private DGCA, in its current form, is not in a position to discharge its duties for which it was established.' This creates a critical 'competency gap,' as the regulator lacks both the quantity and the requisite experience to conduct rigorous and effective oversight. 'The staffing crisis is therefore not merely an administrative problem; it is an existential threat to the integrity of India's aviation safety system. This foundational weakness is a direct root cause of many of the other systemic issues' such as lack of effective surveillance and inability to carry out rigorous audit, the report notes with deep concern. The DGCA is a statutory body constituted under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 and is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Civil Aviation Authority of India Bill, 2013, was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 20, 2013 and referred to the Standing Committee on September 18, 2013. It proposed a Civil Aviation Authority of India (CAA) to replace the DGCA, but the Committee in its January 24, 2014 report observed that the former was not significantly different. The Committee had also recommended a comprehensive law for setting up a CAA as well as skilled technical manpower with compensation on par with industry norms.
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Business Standard
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
DGCA staffing crisis a threat to aviation safety system: Parl panel
A Parliamentary panel on Wednesday suggested a time-bound plan to grant administrative as well as financial autonomy to DGCA and flagged that the staffing crisis at the regulator is an "existential threat to the integrity of India's aviation safety system". Besides, the committee said the current imbalance, where aircraft induction is outpacing airport growth, is putting unsustainable pressure on existing facilities, degrading service quality, and dangerously straining safety margins, as it pitched for developing a comprehensive National Capacity Alignment Plan to synchronise airport infrastructure development with airline fleet induction schedules. The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture -- headed by Rajya Sabha member and JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha -- submitted its report on the 'Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector' on Wednesday. One of the recommendations is to establish a time-bound mechanism for the closure of all safety deficiencies, with priority for serious Level I matters and implementing stronger enforcement actions, including financial penalties for non-compliance. "This is a response to the significant and growing backlog of unresolved safety findings, which indicates a critical weakness in the post-surveillance rectification process that undermines the entire oversight programme. Concerns also exist about audit quality due to a lack of qualified DGCA staff and airlines prioritising profiteering over immediate maintenance," the report said. The report has not mentioned the Air India plane crash that killed 260 people on June 12. Calling for a time-bound plan to grant the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) full administrative and financial autonomy, the committee said it is necessary to address critical technical staff shortages caused by "an ineffective recruitment model", a problem highlighted by past expert committees but never resolved. Nearly 50 per cent of the 1,063 sanctioned posts at the regulator are vacant. Of the total posts, only 553 are filled. "This deficit is not a mere administrative statistic; it is a critical vulnerability that exists at the very heart of India's safety oversight system, occurring precisely at a time when the sector's unprecedented growth demands more, not less, regulatory vigilance and capacity," the panel said, adding that the staffing crisis is not merely an administrative problem but an existential threat to the integrity of India's aviation safety system. According to the report, the civil aviation ministry's current stance is that direct recruitment by DGCA is not under consideration. Among the raft of suggestions, the panel also proposed mandating a detailed root-cause analysis for every runway incursion and other recurring high-risk events, and establishing focused remedial programs for these areas. "This is necessary because key safety targets for events like runway incursions are consistently being exceeded, indicating that the current incident review process is failing to translate lessons learned into effective operational changes. "Specific data on bird strikes and engine failures underscores the need for effective remedial measures despite existing systematic oversight," it said in the report. Against the backdrop of recent helicopter crashes, the panel has recommended a uniform national regulatory framework for all state-operated helicopter services and mandatory, terrain-specific pilot training. "This is prompted by a series of accidents in high-risk environments managed by state-level agencies with limited central oversight, revealing a regulatory ambiguity that creates unacceptable safety gaps. While the ministry defines central and state roles and DGCA has issued a circular for pilgrimage operations, the committee highlights the need for more proactive and uniform central oversight," it noted. Among other recommendations, the committee has emphasised the need for having a 'just culture' and a legally-backed whistleblower protection framework. This is to counter a punitive culture that deters the open reporting of errors, which is essential for proactive safety management. While DGCA has a confidential and non-punitive voluntary safety reporting system, there is a need for clearer protections, it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Conditions ripe for catastrophic failure': House panel sounds air safety alarm
In the backdrop of the Air India Express AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad this year, a Parliamentary panel has sounded an unusually sharp warning on the state of India's aviation safety architecture, flagging multiple systemic lapses and calling for urgent reforms. The Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, chaired by JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, presented its 380th report on 'Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector' in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday. While the report itself does not mention the AI 171 crash, committee members discussed it extensively during deliberations and summoned officials of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to depose on investigative delays and coordination lapses. 'The rapid expansion of India's civil aviation sector has stretched its regulatory and operational infrastructure to the limits,' the report observes, warning that persistent deficiencies and capacity gaps create 'conditions ripe for a catastrophic failure'. With passenger traffic projected to cross 300 million annually by 2030, the panel warns that unchecked fleet expansion, fatigued workforces, unresolved safety gaps, and outdated infrastructure could converge into 'conditions for future disasters.' Chairman Jha said the report is intended as a 'roadmap for urgent reforms' to restore public confidence. During deliberations, MPs grilled AAIB officials on delays in AI 171's preliminary report and failures to act on earlier safety recommendations, underscoring how the Ahmedabad tragedy continues to shape India's aviation safety priorities. At the heart of the report is a scathing critique of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's principal aviation regulator. The committee warns that the DGCA is 'grossly understaffed to meet international obligations' and risks failing future audits by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) unless vacancies are filled on priority. Out of 1,063 sanctioned posts, only 553 are filled. Nearly 45% of technical staff are on deputation, leading to 'high attrition and institutional memory loss,' weakening regulatory continuity. India's latest ICAO audit placed it below the global average for effective safety oversight. The panel cautions that, without reform, India could face 'international restrictions on carrier operations', directly affecting the country's growing aviation market. The committee reiterates its long-standing demand to grant DGCA full administrative and financial autonomy and to decouple recruitment from UPSC so the regulator can offer competitive salaries and attract technical experts. The panel devotes significant attention to Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs), warning that fatigue among controllers poses a direct and ongoing threat to airspace safety. Evidence before the committee revealed that ATCOs at busy airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad routinely work prolonged, fatiguing shifts. Many airports operate with merged control sectors at night due to shortages, placing excessive pressure on remaining staff. Calling this practice 'institutionalised overwork,' the panel has demanded an immediate end to exemptions from mandatory duty-time limitations and recommended the creation of a scientifically designed Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) for ATCOs. The report also urges a comprehensive airport-wise staffing audit and a significant expansion of ATC training capacity. Currently, training centres accommodate just 210 officers at a time, causing new recruits to wait months before deployment. The report highlights a serious enforcement gap in DGCA's safety oversight, revealing that 3,747 safety deficiencies remain unresolved as of April 2025 — including 37 Level I deficiencies that pose immediate safety risks. The committee criticises DGCA's approach as 'procedural formality without effective deterrence', saying that without strict enforcement, safety findings 'lose their purpose.' It has recommended: After examining four helicopter crashes during the 2025 Char Dham Yatra and 23 incidents since 2021, the committee described India's regulatory structure for helicopter operations as 'confused and dangerous.' At present, several high-risk helicopter services, including pilgrimage operations, are managed by state agencies like the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) with limited DGCA oversight. Calling this 'a fractured and ambiguous regulatory command structure,' the panel has recommended: A uniform national framework to bring all helicopter operations under rigorous central supervision. Mandatory terrain-specific training and certification for pilots operating in mountainous regions. A dedicated oversight cell within DGCA to continuously monitor high-altitude helicopter operations nationwide. The report flags a troubling rise in runway incursions, which occurred at a rate of 14.12 per million movements in 2024 — well above the safety target of 9.78. Similar overshoots were noted for loss-of-situational-awareness events and near mid-air collision (AIRPROX) incidents. Despite frequent reviews by the Occurrence Review Board, these events persist, suggesting that lessons from investigations are not translating into operational improvements. The committee recommended mandatory root-cause analyses for every runway incursion and focused remedial programmes for high-risk airports, along with faster installation of fog navigation systems and Instrument Landing Systems at functional airports. The report warns that a punitive regulatory culture is undermining safety by discouraging open reporting. Citing instances where individual ATCOs were fined up to `25 lakh, the committee called for aligning penalties with 'just culture' principles, which distinguish between honest mistakes and negligence. It also recommended creating a legally backed whistleblower protection framework to ensure anonymity, prevent victimisation, and promote a more transparent reporting ecosystem. MRO dependence and strategic vulnerabilities The panel expressed alarm over India's 85% dependence on foreign Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, noting that airlines spend `15,000 crore annually overseas on heavy checks and overhauls. Calling this a 'strategic vulnerability', the report warns that geopolitical disruptions or supply chain shocks could ground India's fleet. Recommendations include: The report criticises the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for lacking a dedicated Member (ATC) on its Board — a recommendation pending since 2006. Calling this absence a 'serious governance failure,' the committee argues that excluding ATC expertise from strategic decision-making 'endangers systemic safety planning.'
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
DGCA staffing crisis 'existential threat' for aviation safety system; watchdog needs autonomy: Parl panel
A Parliamentary panel on Wednesday suggested a time-bound plan to grant administrative as well as financial autonomy to DGCA and flagged that the staffing crisis at the regulator is an "existential threat to the integrity of India's aviation safety system ". Besides, the committee said the current imbalance, where aircraft induction is outpacing airport growth, is putting unsustainable pressure on existing facilities, degrading service quality, and dangerously straining safety margins, as it pitched for developing a comprehensive National Capacity Alignment Plan to synchronise airport infrastructure development with airline fleet induction schedules. The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture -- headed by Rajya Sabha member and JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha -- submitted its report on the 'Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector' on Wednesday. One of the recommendations is to establish a time-bound mechanism for the closure of all safety deficiencies, with priority for serious Level I matters and implementing stronger enforcement actions, including financial penalties for non-compliance. "This is a response to the significant and growing backlog of unresolved safety findings, which indicates a critical weakness in the post-surveillance rectification process that undermines the entire oversight programme. Concerns also exist about audit quality due to a lack of qualified DGCA staff and airlines prioritising profiteering over immediate maintenance," the report said. Live Events The report has not mentioned the Air India plane crash that killed 260 people on June 12. Calling for a time-bound plan to grant the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) full administrative and financial autonomy, the committee said it is necessary to address critical technical staff shortages caused by "an ineffective recruitment model", a problem highlighted by past expert committees but never resolved. Nearly 50 per cent of the 1,063 sanctioned posts at the regulator are vacant. Of the total posts, only 553 are filled. "This deficit is not a mere administrative statistic; it is a critical vulnerability that exists at the very heart of India's safety oversight system, occurring precisely at a time when the sector's unprecedented growth demands more, not less, regulatory vigilance and capacity," the panel said, adding that the staffing crisis is not merely an administrative problem but an existential threat to the integrity of India's aviation safety system. According to the report, the civil aviation ministry's current stance is that direct recruitment by DGCA is not under consideration. Among the raft of suggestions, the panel also proposed mandating a detailed root-cause analysis for every runway incursion and other recurring high-risk events, and establishing focused remedial programs for these areas. "This is necessary because key safety targets for events like runway incursions are consistently being exceeded, indicating that the current incident review process is failing to translate lessons learned into effective operational changes. "Specific data on bird strikes and engine failures underscores the need for effective remedial measures despite existing systematic oversight," it said in the report. Against the backdrop of recent helicopter crashes, the panel has recommended a uniform national regulatory framework for all state-operated helicopter services and mandatory, terrain-specific pilot training. "This is prompted by a series of accidents in high-risk environments managed by state-level agencies with limited central oversight, revealing a regulatory ambiguity that creates unacceptable safety gaps. While the ministry defines central and state roles and DGCA has issued a circular for pilgrimage operations, the committee highlights the need for more proactive and uniform central oversight," it noted. Among other recommendations, the committee has emphasised the need for having a 'just culture' and a legally-backed whistleblower protection framework. This is to counter a punitive culture that deters the open reporting of errors, which is essential for proactive safety management. While DGCA has a confidential and non-punitive voluntary safety reporting system, there is a need for clearer protections, it added.
NDTV
15 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Parliament Panel Flags Aviation Safety Gaps, Says "Give DGCA Full Autonomy"
New Delhi: Grant the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) full administrative and financial autonomy, establish a "Just Culture" and whistleblower protection and mandate root-cause analysis for recurring risks like runway incursions are a few of the twelve recommendations made by a parliamentary committee in a report, reviewing India's civil aviation sector, tabled in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha today. The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, led by MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, presented its 380th Report on the 'Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector'. Central to the report's findings is the need for a stronger, more effective regulatory body. The committee strongly recommends a time-bound plan to give the DGCA more authority. Stating that without this freedom, the DGCA is unable to address critical technical staff shortages-a long-standing issue highlighted by past expert committees but never resolved. The current recruitment model prevents the regulator from attracting top talent and offering salaries commensurate with industry standards, thereby undermining its ability to enforce compliance in a complex and growing sector. The report highlights the much-debated human element of fatigue amongst Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) and the need for immediate development of a Fatigue Risk Management System for ATCOs to ensure their well-being and operational safety. This mirrors a parallel recommendation for flight crew, urging strict compliance with Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations and promoting mental health awareness for both pilots and ATCOs. A comprehensive staffing audit is also recommended to combat operational overload and the "long-standing and high-risk practice" of seeking exemptions from mandatory duty time limits. In a move to foster a more proactive safety culture, the report calls for the establishment of a "Just Culture" and a robust whistleblower protection framework. This aims to counter a punitive environment that currently deters operational personnel from openly reporting errors-an essential practice for proactive safety management and learning. On the enforcement front, the committee urges a time-bound mechanism to close all safety deficiencies, especially serious Level I matters, and proposes stricter penalties, including financial fines, for non-compliance. This is a direct response to a growing backlog of unresolved safety findings that indicates a critical weakness in the post-surveillance rectification process. Infrastructure and technological gaps were also a major focus. The report underlines an imbalance where aircraft induction is outpacing airport growth, putting pressure on existing facilities and dangerously straining safety margins. To address this, the committee recommends a National Capacity Alignment Plan to synchronise airport development with airline fleet expansion. It also calls for a comprehensive overhaul of outdated Air Traffic Control (ATC) automation systems, advocating for the integration of modern, AI-driven tools to reduce controller workload. Economically, the report addresses the strategic vulnerability caused by India's 85% dependence on foreign Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, urging a policy review to provide incentives and rationalise taxation to promote domestic capabilities. Lastly, the report recommends the creation of a new, dedicated post-Member (ATC)-on the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Board. This aims to correct a critical governance failure where the most safety-sensitive function, air traffic control, has historically lacked expert representation at the highest decision-making level. The committee's findings underscore that, while India's civil aviation sector is on a growth trajectory, its long-term health is contingent on addressing these foundational issues of regulation, human factors, and infrastructure alignment.
