Latest news with #RamMohanNaiduKinjarapu
News18
30-07-2025
- Business
- News18
IndiGo Adds More Flights To Amsterdam, Manchester & 9 Indian Cities From Hindon
IndiGo has started operations from Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad, becoming the second airline to operate there after Air India Express. IndiGo airlines on Wednesday opened bookings for increased flight frequencies for recently launched long-haul routes connecting Mumbai with Amsterdam and Manchester, as per a release. Starting September 20, 2025, the airlines will fly six times per week between Mumbai and Amsterdam, and will increase their service on October 13 onwards. Additionally, flights between Mumbai and Manchester will be enhanced to four times weekly, in effect from September 22, 2025. The airlines also look forward to receiving five additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in the ongoing financial year, the first of which is expected to be received by mid-September and shall enable the airline to bolster its service on these routes, the release further stated. A week earlier, Union Civil Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu launched new flight routes from Ghaziabad's Hindon Airport to be operated by IndiGo. After Air India Express, IndiGo becomes the second airline to mark its presence in Hindon Airport. Four months ago, Air India Express started its operations here. 'This is a (Udan) success of Hindon, Ghaziabad, western Uttar Pradesh, and the entire country. This is an Udan of the ambitions and aspirations of common Indians," the Union minister said from the Hindon Airport. Airlines fleet, airports, terminal capacity, and flyers have doubled in India over the past decade, the minister said, reflecting the growth India's civil aviation sector has made. 'During 2024-2034, civil aviation in tier II and III cities will grow and we will have to unlock the potential. Hindon will serve as an example," the minister said. With operations from both Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Hindon Airport (HDO), flyers based out of the National Capital Region will be served by these two airports. The Hindon Airport's development work was taken up in 2019 under UDAN at Rs 50 crore, in collaboration with Indian Air Force, Minister Naidu said in his address. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
26-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Union govt to launch ‘one airport, one product'
Tuticorin: The ministry of civil aviation is planning to launch an initiative called 'one airport, one product' for cargo terminals to facilitate transportation of the best products from an area across the country and the world, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said in Tuticorin on Saturday evening. This draws inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'One District, One Product' initiative, the minister said at the inauguration of the new terminal building of Tuticorin airport. He said that like the Cholas, who built grand temples and harbours, today we are building world-class modern infrastructure under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The budget for railways, roads, airports, ports, electricity, water, and gas pipelines increased by nearly 6% in the last 10 years. A remarkable phase of airport development in the country was operationalising one airport every 50 days in the last 10 years. No other country has done it, he said. The minister said the new terminal of Tuticorin airport blends tradition with modernity, showcasing Tamil Nadu's rich cultural heritage through its design and interiors. Built at Rs 452 crore, it will be the gateway for travel, trade, and tourism for the entire southern Tamil Nadu. If there were only 1,300 aircraft movements in the old terminal in 2014, it will now increase to almost 3,600. The building spans 17,341 square metre, which is 17 times bigger than the old terminal. The runway was extended from 1,300 metre to 3,100 metre, which is 2.5 times bigger. In the old terminal, only small flights were operated, but now, bigger flights could be operated, which could provide bigger opportunities and growth. He said the old terminal will be made a dedicated cargo terminal, unlocking new possibilities for farmers, fishermen, traders, and small industries from Tuticorin. "Right now, fisheries are transported all the way to Kochi and Bengaluru. With this dedicated cargo terminal, Tuticorin can become a seafood export hub," he said. Thovalai flower market in Kanyakumari district, which is just 70 km away, won't have to use Thiruvananthapuram airport to send flowers across the world anymoe. Banana and palm farmers can also utilise the new cargo terminal, he added.
Irish Independent
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Indian officials condemn Western media over Air India plane crash reports
Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu expressed full confidence in India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the probe into the June 12 crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people, making it the deadliest Indian aviation disaster in four decades. The comments come ahead of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's trip to the UK. He will be in London today and tomorrow where he is slated to meet his British counterpart, Keir Starmer. The aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel in a residential area of Ahmedabad. Among the dead, 52 were British nationals. The sole survivor was a British man, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. 'AAIB has made an appeal to all, especially western media houses, which may have a vested interest in the kind of articles they are trying to publish. I believe in AAIB. I believe in the work that they are doing,' he said, according to the Indian Express. The minister commended the AAIB for decoding the aircraft's black box domestically, describing it as a 'huge success', as previous incidents typically required the data to be sent abroad for analysis. Mr Kinjarapu's remarks came days after the AAIB publicly urged both the media and the public to 'refrain from spreading premature narratives' about the crash. Its director general, GVG Yugandhar, noted that the preliminary report aimed only to present early findings and did not apportion blame. He also criticised 'irresponsible' reporting by international media, accusing them of selectively using unverified information to suggest pilot error. The preliminary report, released on July 12, revealed that both fuel control switches of the Boeing 787-8's engines moved from 'run' to 'cut off' within one second, moments after take-off, leading to an immediate loss of power. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel was cut off, to which the second replied that he had not done so. The document does not state who, if anyone, moved the switches, using the neutral term 'transitioned' and offering no conclusions on intent or fault. It also notes no technical fault in the aircraft. However, some international reports implied pilot error, prompting backlash from India's aviation fraternity.
The Independent
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
India slams Western media coverage of Air India crash on eve of Modi visit to Britain
India's civil aviation minister has criticised western media outlets for attributing blame in the Air India flight AI171 crash before the conclusion of an official investigation, calling such speculation premature and driven by 'vested interests'. Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu expressed full confidence in India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the probe into the 12 June crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people – 241 out of 242 onboard and 19 on the ground – making it the deadliest Indian aviation disaster in four decades. The comments come ahead of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi 's trip to the UK. He will be in London on Wednesday and Thursday where he is slated to meet his British counterpart, Keir Starmer. The aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel in a residential area of Ahmedabad. Among the deceased, 52 were British nationals. The sole survivor was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. 'AAIB has made an appeal to all, especially Western media houses, which may have a vested interest in the kind of articles they are trying to publish. I believe in AAIB. I believe in the work that they are doing,' he said, according to the Indian Express. The minister commended the AAIB for decoding the aircraft's black box domestically, describing it as a 'huge success', as previous incidents typically required the data to be sent abroad for analysis. He reiterated the government's commitment to aviation safety but insisted it would be inappropriate to draw conclusions before the final report is complete. 'Making any comments until the final report has come, I don't think it is a good exercise on behalf of anyone. We are also very cautious and studying the report thoroughly, and whatever necessary needs to be done in terms of safety, we are ready to do it,' he said, reported the Hindustan Times. Mr Kinjarapu's remarks came days after the AAIB publicly urged both the media and the public to 'refrain from spreading premature narratives' about the crash. Its Director General, GVG Yugandhar, noted that the preliminary report aimed only to present early findings and did not apportion blame. He also criticised 'irresponsible' reporting by international media, accusing them of selectively using unverified information to suggest pilot error. The preliminary report, released on 12 July, revealed that both fuel control switches of the Boeing 787-8's engines moved from 'run' to 'cutoff' within one second, moments after take-off, leading to an immediate loss of power. The cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot asking the other why the fuel was cut off, to which the second replied that he had not done so. The document does not state who, if anyone, moved the switches, using the neutral term 'transitioned' and offering no conclusions on intent or fault. It also notes no technical fault in the aircraft. However, some international reports implied pilot error, prompting backlash from India's aviation fraternity. Captain CS Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), accused publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Reuters of 'misleading the public' and publishing conclusions 'not based on factual content'. The FIP has issued legal notices to both outlets demanding a public clarification and apology, and warned of further legal action if no statement is made. 'They are not the investigative body,' said Captain Randhawa. 'How can you jump to these conclusions which are not part of the preliminary report of the AAIB? How can you blame the pilots?' Earlier, the head of the US National Transportation Safety Board cautioned against initial reports about last month's Air India crash. 'premature and speculative', without providing any specifics about what exactly she was referring to.
Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘AAIB is unbiased, investigation as per international norms': Minister Ram Mohan Naidu addresses questions on Air India plane crash in Parliament
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu Monday addressed the Rajya Sabha on the investigation into the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash and said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is totally 'unbiased' and conducting the probe as per 'international norms'. In the first Parliament session after the Air India plane crash on June 12, which led to 270 deaths, including 241 on board the London Gatwick-bound AI171 flight, Naidu faced questions on what could have caused the deadly crash and compensation to victims. Citing the AAIB's preliminary findings, which said the engine fuel control switches for both engines on the Boeing 787-8 aircraft transitioned from the 'RUN' to the 'CUTOFF' position shortly after takeoff, BJP Rajya Sabha member Ashok Shankarrao Chavan asked the minister what could have been the reason behind the fuel cut-off. Replying, Naidu said, 'This was a preliminary report… For a definitive answer, we have to wait for the final report. AAIB is conducting the investigation as per international norms. They are totally unbiased and looking at facts alone.' Chavan said the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is heavily dependent on electronics and that it was a software glitch that led to the engines on a Japan flight shutting down unexpectedly in 2019. He asked whether a malfunction in the electrical system could have been the cause of the fuel cut-off in the Ahmedabad crash, considering that the excerpt from the cockpit voice recording suggested neither of the pilots had switched it off. Naidu said this was the first time that the country did not have to send the black box to another country for decoding, having set up its own lab for analysing flight data and cockpit recordings. He was referring to the new facility established at the AAIB headquarters in Delhi in April for analysing aircraft flight data and cockpit recordings. 'It used to be that even if there was slight damage to the black box, we had to send it to the original manufacturer to decode it. It was the first time that this was done in India,' said Naidu. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Member Fauzia Khan asked what the government was doing about the issue of engine shutdowns during flights. She said that RTI data revealed 65 incidents from 2020 to 2025. She also cited the example of AI131, which was forced to turn back in 2023 after an engine shutdown. Naidu said there could be multiple issues leading to an engine shutdown, ranging from weather conditions to bird strikes. He said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) does spot checks, night checks, among other measures, as per their annual surveillance and safety plan. Another BJP member, Satnam Singh Sandhu, asked about compensation and support to the families of medical students who died on the ground during the air crash. The minister said that all casualties, whether passengers or those on the ground, were being treated equally and their families would receive compensation and support from the government. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) member Manoj Kumar Jha asked about the government's response to the 2018 Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on some Boeing aircraft. Naidu replied that there are two types of directives — one that every state has to follow mandatorily and another, such as the SAIB, that does not need to. At the time, the regulator took the call that there was no need for special checks, he said, adding that routine checks were, of course, ongoing. Naidu added that the AAIB also mentioned this in their report in addition to several other angles that are being examined. Several Rajya Sabha members asked about the vacancies, especially in the technical positions, at the DCGA. To this, Naidu said that several additional positions were created over the last two years, keeping in mind the expanding air travel network in India. This is the reason why some positions are vacant even as the recruitment process is ongoing, he said. He added that these were highly technical positions, and there is a very small pool of people who qualify, leading to a longer recruitment process.
