Autonomy of ATC Organization

The Government has approved the proposal to hive off Air Navigation System (ANS) as a Government Entity in a two steps process. In the first step all ANS activities should be aggregated under a separate Member(ANS). Subsequently, the ANS services should be hived off. This information was given by the Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Praful Patel in Lok Sabha today.
There are 1962 Air Traffic Controllers available in India.
The Court of Inquiry after the incident of Charki-Dadri made 15 recommendations out of which 3 were concerned with Air Traffic Control (ATC). The steps taken to implement recommendations are:
i) Modernization of ATC system at Delhi and Mumbai already implemented.
ii) Uni-directional ATS routes have been implemented in Delhi Terminal Control Area.
iii) A post of Member (ANS) has been filled up in AAI.
iv) Three sectors are operational in Area Control Centre and two sectors are operational in Approach Control at IGI Airport in order to reduce the controller’s workload and have the better situational awareness and surveillance of air traffic.
Autonomy for decision making and better management of Air Navigation Services would enable:

i)Focused attention to Air Navigation Services, provision in line with ICAO Global Plan initiatives.
ii)Timely and expeditious planning and implementation of new technology and procedures as approved by ICAO.
iii)Human resource and training planning. iv)Harmonization with other global initiatives in line with the ICAO Global and Regional Air Navigation plans.
v)Optimization of airspace and improved ATC procedures.
vi)Development of next generation air navigation system in India.
In countries like Australia, US, UK, France and Spain, the ATC organisations is autonomous. In USA, an independent Air Traffic Organization is a part of Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).
09/12/10 Press Information Bureau

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Categories: Airports Dec 2010