Airport accidents force DGCA to do reality check

Surprise checks to bring discipline on ground

NEW DELHI: Rattled by a series of freak accidents on the ground at various airports across the country, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) plans to discipline airlines and airport staff by conducting surprise checks.

While the aviation sector has seen a phenomenal boom, the flip side is a frightening increase in freak accidents at airports including the death of a woman engineer in Delhi and the latest in Chennai on Monday in which a Jet Airways jeep rammed into an Air Deccan aircraft.

"There will be a series of random checks at airports where complaints of norms being violated are being received on a regular basis. The random check will bring in some discipline and awareness among the airlines and airport staff," Kanu Gohain, director general of civil aviation, told DNA.

The sudden increase in these accidents on ground comes at a time when there is a growing concern about the large number of air misses and bird hits in Indian skies. In the latest mishap on November 18, an Air Deccan aircraft parked at Chennai airport was badly damaged after a Jet Airways jeep driven by an unauthorised driver crashed into it. The errant driver did not have the mandatory driving permit and was doing consecutive night shifts at the airport. "The airline staff were at fault. The jeep driver was not holding the mandatory permit. It is for the airline to make sure that this doesn't happen. The DGCA cannot do the job of the police," said Gohain.

Gohain also said the airport authorities and airlines should make sure that drivers at airports stringently implement the rules. "The DGCA has specified speed limits for vehicles at airports but it is for the airlines and airport authorities to makes sure they’re not violated," the DG said.

According to estimates Indian airports handle around 60,000 flights every month. On an average, two flights suffer a bird hit, while one has a close shave in the air with another aircraft.

"Indian air safety records are at a par with the international aviation industry. But there is a need for greater cooperation and synergy between the aviation ministry and the industry to find solutions," said Kapil Kaul, an aviation expert.