DGCA seeks foreign help to meet safety norms

New Delhi: For the first time ever, India will take the assistance of foreign aviation authorities to ensure its airlines and airports meet all safety norms. The desperately short-staffed Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is asking the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to set up three national projects to monitor the vital areas of flight safety, airports and air navigation.
ICAO is being asked to set up these projects for two years. During this time, it will have to put the systems in place, hire professionals and train them so that the systems can function on their own once the contract period is over.
This plan to rope in ICAO and begin the process of strengthening India's extremely weak regulatory mechanism is part of an elaborate action plan drawn up by DGCA's new chief Nasim Zaidi. This plan has been submitted to the US Federal Aviation Administration that has put flight safety oversight systems here under scanner and is planning to reassess DGCA by February 22, with ramifications for Indian airports if they are downgraded. The action plan has two components — immediate steps to be taken within four months and long-term measures that will unfold over four years. The idea — tell FAA corrective steps are being taken and buy time for the reassessment.
"For the long-term, we have sought recruitment of 400 technical officials. Our current staff strength is 240 officials, of which 110 posts are vacant and have lapsed. We have sought revival of these posts immediately and till the clearances come for hiring these 110 officials, we have asked for taking people on contract," said Zaidi.
31/01/09 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Foreign Jan 2009, Safety Jan 2009