By IANS
New Delhi : A high-power panel Tuesday said two separate entities should run airports and manage air traffic in the country even as it called for expert opinion on how the country’s airspace can be optimally used for civilian and defence purposes.
State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) not only runs airports but also provides navigation services like management of air space and traffic control. A panel headed by former civil aviation secretary Ajay Prasad has opposed this.
“The committee has recommended a clear demarcation of the dual functional responsibilities of AAI as an aerodrome Operator and of an Air Navigation Service provider,” an official statement.
The committee was constituted in March 2007 to formulate a master plan for next generation futuristic air navigation services and submitted its report to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel here Tuesday.
The committee also suggested more flexible use of airspace as to meet the needs of growing civil aviation industry and the armed forces, notably of the Indian Air Force (IAF), optimally.
“A high-level committee of the government should be constituted for common use of Indian airspace and for working out ways of flexible use of airspace,” the statement said quoting the Ajay Prasad committee report.
Ajay Prasad is a former civil aviation secretary.
“The committee feels that the IAF should review the restricted and danger areas expeditiously,” the report added, referring to the no-fly zones and other areas that have been described as sensitive.
It feels the airspace above 29,000 feet could be released for civil traffic in the restricted or security-sensitive zones.
The report also feels that a delay of more than five minutes caused by the air traffic control should be considered significant and steps be taken to add the necessary capacity for the timely movement of air traffic.