Bill proposing fine of ₹1 cr for airline lapse gets Cabinet nod

The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to raise the penalty from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore on any Indian airline causing damage to an individual or property, was approved by the Union cabinet on Wednesday.

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The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The government has decided to introduce Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2019, for carrying out amendments to the Aircraft Act, 1934 (XXII of 1934). The bill enhances the maximum limit of fine, from the existing ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore. It also enlarges the scope of the existing act to include regulation of all areas of air navigation,” a release from the government read. “These amendments will enable the three regulatory bodies in the civil aviation sector in India, namely the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), to become more effective, which will lead to enhancement in the level of safety and security of aircraft operations in the country,” the official release added.

The government said these amendments, if passed by both houses of the Parliament, will fulfill International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements. A former DGCA official appreciated the move and said, “Amid the frequent instances of aircraft incidents in the recent past, raising the penalty by ten times is crucial.” Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation safety expert, said, “Raising the penalty is a good step, but they must not soft pedal the issue even if the airline is well connected and the rule (if made) should have the same yardstick for all. If an accident is covered up by the authorities as an incident, then the amendment will not be deterrent at all.”

According to the Aircraft Act, 1937, whoever wilfully flies any aircraft in such a manner as to cause danger to any person or to any property on land or water or in the air shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to two years, or with a fine, which may extend to ten lakh rupees, or with both.