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DGCA Airport Audit Reveals No Major Lapses Amid Safety Oversight Expansion

The DGCA's recent checks at major airports didn't find any critical safety issues. Any minor procedural lapses spotted were quickly fixed by the airport operators. The government is also boosting the DGCA's team to handle future aviation growth. This shows a strong system is in place to keep our airports safe.

Key Points: DGCA Audit Finds No Major Lapses at India's Major Airports

  • All audit observations were Level II, indicating minor procedural oversights
  • DGCA has a robust surveillance and audit system for airport compliance
  • The regulator is strengthening its manpower with hundreds of new posts
  • Enforcement action is initiated if any violations by airport operators are found
3 min read

No significant lapses spotted in DGCA audit of major airports: Minister

Minister Murlidhar Mohol informs Parliament that recent DGCA surveillance audits at major airports found only minor procedural lapses, all now resolved.

"No significant lapses were observed during the DGCA’s recent surveillance audit at major airports - Minister Murlidhar Mohol"

New Delhi, Dec 11

No significant lapses were observed during the DGCA’s recent surveillance audit at major airports, and all observations were categorised as Level II and communicated to the aerodrome operators concerned and subsequently closed after the completion of action by them, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday

In DGCA airport audits, a Level II lapse signifies a procedural or administrative oversight that doesn't pose an immediate, critical safety threat like a Level I breach.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has a robust mechanism at licensed airports to ensure compliance of regulatory requirements through surveillance audits. To ensure passenger safety and to maintain global aviation safety standards, there is a systematic safety oversight process in place for monitoring the compliance of the Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements. The safety oversight process includes surveillance, spot checks, and regulatory audits. In addition, special audits are also carried out in accordance with the perceived risk.

The airport license is issued after satisfactory compliance with the requirements specified in Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 4, he said.

Aerodrome operators are responsible for maintaining airports in a fit state during the validity of the aerodrome license, and the same is ensured by the DGCA by conducting surveillance inspections regularly. Further, if any violation is identified, enforcement action against the aerodrome operator is initiated as per the Enforcement Policy and Procedure Manual, the minister said.

He also said that in the last four months, 22 officers, selected by the government for various posts, have joined the DGCA to strengthen its manpower, while the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) has completed its due process for 42 officers.

Another 62 technical officers, five flight operations inspectors and 8 stenographers have also been selected to join the DGCA, while an examination has been conducted to select another 121 operations officers, the minister added.

Keeping in view the current and future expansion of the civil aviation sector, effective supervision and enhanced role of the DGCA as a safety regulator, as many as 441 posts have been created during the last 3 years as part of the DGCA restructuring. Out of the total 1630 sanctioned strength of DGCA, 836 posts are currently filled, he observed.

Regular safety oversight at licensed airports is an ongoing activity and is carried out in accordance with the Annual Surveillance Plan published on the DGCA website. The findings observed during such inspections are communicated to the airport operators concerned for necessary corrective action, and this is monitored by the DGCA at regular intervals, the minister added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While the report sounds positive, I hope "Level II" lapses are taken seriously. Small administrative oversights can sometimes snowball. Glad to hear corrective action was taken and monitored. Continuous improvement is key.
R
Rohit P
Good to see transparency from the ministry. The details about hiring and posts being created show they are planning for future growth. Our aviation sector is expanding fast, we need a strong regulator. 👍
P
Priyanka N
As a frequent flyer, this audit report gives me confidence. However, the real test is at our smaller regional airports. I hope the same level of scrutiny is applied there. The infrastructure at some tier-2 city airports needs attention.
A
Aman W
Creating 441 new posts is a big move. But with 836 filled out of 1630 sanctioned, there's still a long way to go. Hope the recruitment process is fast-tracked. We cannot compromise on safety due to manpower shortages.
K
Kavya N
The system seems robust on paper. Annual surveillance plans, spot checks, special audits – it's all there. The challenge is consistent implementation on the ground. Hope the "perceived risk" audits are truly proactive and not just reactive.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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