City to get better air safety surveillance

For the first time in the history of Indian aviation, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) is decentralising authority to dispose pending probes and strengthen vigil on air safety.

Several pending air mishap probes buried in dusty files might finally see the light of day.

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For the first time in the history of Indian aviation, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) is decentralising authority to dispose pending probes and strengthen vigil on air safety.

From next week, any air safety lapse at Mumbai airport would not add to the pile of files in the DGCA headquarters in Delhi.

Charan Das, a senior official with the regulator, who has been appointed as the deputy director general for western region, would have the power to probe.

“It is the beginning of restructuring of the set up. We want to decentralise power to improve efficiency,” said Nasim Zaidi, directorate general, DGCA.

Four such officials have been appointed to expedite operations in the regional centres. “They will frequently visit the regional centres to begin with and move into them within two months,” added Zaidi.