Former Civil Aviation Minister and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member Praful Patel on Tuesday flagged a shortage of senior skilled personnel in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), suggesting that retired officials be brought back on short tenures to strengthen oversight and maintain safety standards in Indian aviation.Speaking after the PAC meeting, Patel said, “Safety is paramount. Anyone who flies wants to be safe and assured that they will reach their destination. Many events took place in the wake of the Air India crash. Obviously, when a crash happens, everything is taken with sensitivity.”advertisementHe, however, emphasised that Indian aviation remains safe and there is no need for panic. “Indian aviation is safe, and we don’t need to panic. All airlines, including Air India, follow all safety protocols. DGCA is well equipped and does a very good job,” Patel said.He added, “DGCA needs to have more people. It is facing a shortage of staff at the top level, of skilled people. Retired officials can be brought back to deal with this understaffing and ensure safety standards are fully compliant at the earliest. Maybe an audit of the entire sector or all the aircraft should be done at the earliest so that passenger confidence is restored.”Patel made these remarks after a PAC meeting that was originally convened to discuss “levy charges at airports” but saw an intense focus on the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The London-bound flight AI 171 crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building just seconds after take-off, killing 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew on board, and 19 people on the ground.The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), DGCA, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Air India CEO Wilson Campbell and top officials from IndiGo and Akasa Air were also present.Sources said MPs asked aviation authorities pointed questions about safety and demanded an immediate audit by BCAS. They sought details on the timeline for black box analysis and raised concerns about the probe committee’s selection criteria, including whether foreign aviation experts had been consulted.Air India, in its submission to the PAC, defended the Boeing 787 Dreamliner involved in the crash, calling it one of the safest aircraft in operation and noting that more than 1,000 Dreamliners are flying worldwide. The airline said it was “deeply concerned” about the crash and was awaiting the official inquiry report.MPs also flagged several safety incidents reported in May and June, along with what they described as the “high-handed behaviour” of private airlines. 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A former minister has stated that the aviation authority is lacking sufficient top-level personnel and suggested that they can recruit retired officials to fill these positions.
