HC asks for latest position on air safety from DGCA

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has sought from the civil aviation regulator, DGCA, the latest position regarding air safety, probe into aircraft accidents and recruitment of flight operations inspectors. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked for the information after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) claimed that it has been following all precautions to ensure flight safety in the country.

With the direction, the court listed the matter for further hearing on August 2. The court was hearing a PIL alleging that private airlines are violating and circumventing mandatory provisions for air safety and air worthiness issued by the DGCA.

The plea has also claimed that the regulator has no mechanism to effectively check the non-compliance and blatant violation of the provisions. Refuting the allegations made in the public interest litigation, the DGCA said that it has safety oversight and surveillance programmes for airworthiness management and aircraft maintenance.

It told the court that all of the civil aviation planes in operation in the country are following the aircraft maintenance programme. The regulator also claimed that there are no shortage of flight operation inspectors. However, the petitioner, Alok Kumar, has claimed that there are 72 vacant posts of flight operation inspectors in the DGCA.