Lok Sabha Question No. 178 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-28
Subject: Safety of Air Travel
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

Lok Sabha

## STARRED QUESTION NO. : 178

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  28th July 2022 )

## SAFETY OF AIR TRAVEL

178.    PROF SOUGATA RAY Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a)  the  details  of  technical  snags  and  failure  of  safe,  efficient  and reliable air services reported in the country during the last one year;
- (b) the steps taken to ensure safe air journey in the country;
- (c) whether the Government has any mechanism to check the safety and security measures related to air journey;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of notices issued to various airline companies in this regard and the action taken to check recurrence of such types of air safety violations?

## ANSWER

Minister of CIVIL AVIATION      (Shri Jyotiraditya M&#46; Scindia)

(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the table of the House.

******

Statement referred in reply to Part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 178 regarding "Safety of Air Travel" to be answered on 28.07.2022.;

- (a) During operations, an aircraft may experience technical  snags  due  to  malfunctioning  of  components/ equipment fitted on the aircraft which require rectification action  by  the  airlines  for  continued  safe,  efficient  and
- reliable  air  transport  service.  These  technical  snags  are reported  by  the  flight  crew  on  receiving  an  aural/  visual warning in the cockpit or an indication of an inoperative/ faulty system or while experiencing difficulty in handling/ operating the aircraft. A total of 478 technical snags were reported in last one year w.e.f. 1st July 2021 - 30th June 2022. ;
- (b)  The  Directorate  General  of  Civil  Aviation  (DGCA)  has laid  down  regulations  under  Civil  Aviation  Requirement (CAR)  which  requires  that  the  aircraft  is  maintained  in accordance  with  the  manufacturers'  guidelines  and  all snags  reported  on  the  aircraft  are  rectified  before  the aircraft is released for flight. Further, CAR 145 lays down the requirements for the approval of maintenance organisation  which  mandates  the  organisation  to  have required manpower, equipment and literature commensurate  to  the  type  and  fleet  to  be  maintained. Under the system, airline operators are required to ensure that  the  aircraft  are  maintained  in  a  continuous  state  of airworthiness and all defects are rectified.;
- (c) & (d) DGCA has a laid down mechanism of conducting surveillance,  spot  checks,  night  surveillance  etc.  of  the airlines/  organizations  and  personnel  to  ensure  safety  of passenger and aircraft.  The observations/ findings made during  surveillance,  spot  checks  and  night  surveillance are provided to the airline for taking corrective action. The action taken to correct the observations are reviewed and the  findings  are  closed  or  in  case  of  violations,  DGCA takes  enforcement  action  in  accordance  with  laid  down procedures  which  may  consist  of  warning,  suspension,

cancellation  including  imposition  of  financial  penalty  to the personnel involved/ airline. A total of 177 surveillance, 497  spot  checks  and  169  night  surveillance  have  been carried  out  by  DGCA  on  engineering  and  maintenance aspects  of  scheduled  operators  during  the  last  one  year (1st July 2021 - 30th June 2022). (e) Based on the violations found during surveillance, spot checks,  night  surveillance  carried  out  during  2021-22, enforcement  action  has  been  taken  by  DGCA  against responsible personnel / post holder of the airline operator in  21  instances  of  violations,  which  inter-alia  includes suspension of license, withdrawal of post holder (approved personnel to the airlines involved in the maintenance of aircraft), issuance of warning letters, etc.