NEW DELHI: Air India received nine show-cause notices over the past six months related to five separate safety violations, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. He added that enforcement action has been completed in one of the cases so far.
Responding to a query regarding a recent incident involving an Air India Dreamliner that skidded off the runway in Ahmedabad on June 12, the minister clarified that no negative trends had been observed in the aircraft’s reliability reports over the past six months.
Manpower Shortages Acknowledged in Aviation Agencies
In a related development, the government admitted in Parliament that key aviation bodies—including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and Airports Authority of India (AAI)—are facing significant manpower shortages.
As per data shared in the House, DGCA currently has 823 vacancies, BCAS has 230, and AAI is short of 3,238 personnel. These organisations are vital to maintaining safety, regulatory compliance, and air traffic management across the country.
However, Minister Mohol emphasized that steps are being taken to address the gaps. “Between 2022 and 2024, 441 new posts—including 426 technical positions—have been created in DGCA. Additionally, 84 operational posts were added during the 2024 restructuring of BCAS, and 840 air traffic controller positions were recently established in AAI,” he said.
Recruitment Drive and Interim Hiring Measures
Despite the vacancies, the government insisted that the shortage has not hampered the functioning of these agencies. “All possible recruitment methods are being actively pursued to ensure timely and continuous availability of the required manpower,” Mohol stated.
To fill gaps in the interim, authorities are resorting to short-term contractual hiring. “This is necessary due to factors like low response to advertisements, selected candidates not joining, lack of eligible candidates for promotion, and insufficient interest in deputation posts,” he explained.
The minister underscored that the government is committed to maintaining effective oversight and ensuring that aviation safety standards are not compromised, even as the sector continues to expand.
