India's aviation security system may be downgraded

New Delhi: India could face the possibility of downgrading of its aviation safety system by the US if it did not take urgent steps to strengthen institutions like DGCA to meet the challenges of a fast-growing air traffic, an aviation consultancy group has said.
In 2009, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), concerned by what it considered to be gross under-staffing of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had threatened to downgrade India to Category-II status.
However, swift steps on recruitment and promises for more time-bound measures led India to pass the FAA audit and retain its Category-I status that is on a par with developed nations.
"In the last two years alone domestic traffic has grown by 36 per cent and international by 19 per cent. However, there has been virtually no increase in resources at the DGCA so under-staffing is once again a major concern. FAA could once again threaten to downgrade India to Category-II," the Sydney-based aviation consultancy, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), said in a study.
22/07/12 Press Trust of India/IBN Live

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jul 2012, Safety Jul 2012