New Delhi: The CNN-IBN’s expose on the aviation sector in India has prompted Airport Authority of India director K Ramalingam to clarify that passenger security is not being compromised.
Ramalingam said that issues pertaining to the security of air travelers are being addressed. He added, "I can assure you that the airports are a safe place."
He clarified that there have been 17 airprox incidents in the past year.
Airprox is a situation in which, in the opinion of a pilot or a controller, the distance between aircraft as well as their relative positions and speed have been such that the safety of the aircraft involved was or may have been compromised.
He further said that the number of airprox incidents in India have come down over the years in spite of the surge in air traffic.
Ramalingam said that the Aviation Directorate (AD), which is headed by the Enforcement Directorate, monitors airprox incidents. AD conducts in-house investigation on all incidents pertaining to air security.
Infrastructure in airports is constantly being upgraded according to Ramalingam, like the VHF equipments. "Over 300 new sets have been added in airports all over India. These are brand new purchases and old equipments are been replaced," he said.
Ramalingam also said that airports throughout the country will be linked through satellite communication. Over 80 airports have been linked through the V-SAT network. With this new network data can be exchanged between all the airports.
"The project will be completed by March 31," Ramalingam said.
Ramalingam confessed that there have been procedural and administrative delays in recruiting air traffic controllers (ATC) in the past but this process has now been accelerated.
92 ATCs have already been recruited and a new batch is being trained especially for Delhi and Mumbai airports. And this entire process will be completed by March 15.
New parking bays are also being constructed to handle the increased air traffic.
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