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"Aviation Sector Safety Assessment: Parliamentary Committee Highlights Disregard for Safety Standards in India"

Improving fatigue management for airline staff, enforcing duty time restrictions, and advocating for mental health are called for in the recent report | Current News India

, and Administrator

2025 September 5 . 4:13 AM

2 min read

"Parliamentary Committee Discusses: Routine Disregard for Safety Standards in India's Aviation... — "Parliamentary Committee Discusses: Routine Disregard for Safety Standards in India's Aviation Industry"

"Aviation Sector Safety Assessment: Parliamentary Committee Highlights Disregard for Safety Standards in India"

The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture has released a report titled 'Overall Review of Safety in the Civil Aviation Sector', flagging several issues that pose potential threats to aviation safety in India.

One of the key concerns raised by the panel is deviance from rules in India's air traffic management system. This comes amidst a staffing crisis at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and among air traffic controllers. The panel considers this staff shortage an "existential threat" to aviation safety.

The staffing crisis in the DGCA is attributed to an outdated recruitment model where a recruitment agency hires personnel on behalf of the DGCA. This has resulted in more than 500 unfilled positions, with the civil aviation minister aiming to fill up 190 of these positions by October.

The panel also highlighted the need for strengthening fatigue management for flight crew. They recommended strict compliance with duty time limits and promoting mental health awareness and support. These recommendations come after the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade, which occurred in Ahmedabad and involved Air India. The crash is still under investigation.

The parliamentary panel also recommended the establishment of a new regulatory authority to replace the DGCA. However, the name of the proposer for this new authority is not provided in the available information.

In addition to these concerns, the panel also flagged the issue of slow and inflexible hiring processes, which they believe could further exacerbate the staffing crisis in the aviation sector. The report serves as a call to action for the government and industry stakeholders to address these issues and ensure the safety and security of air travel in India.