Now Reading: Pilots’ body urges PM Modi to replace DGCA with autonomous regulator
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Pilots’ body urges PM Modi to replace DGCA with autonomous regulator
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish an autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to replace the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). In a letter…
The Story in Brief
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish an autonomous Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to replace the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). In a letter dated August 6, FIP President Capt CS Randhawa said India, now the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world, remains an outlier among major economies by relying on the DGCA, an attached office of the ministry.
The proposal, which first emerged in 2013-14 but lapsed, would create a statutory regulator with financial, administrative and technical independence. India's commercial fleet now has over 850 aircraft and passenger traffic exceeds 23.9 crore. The pilots' body argues that DGCA's structure limits recruitment of specialists and timely decisions.
The Indian Opinion
The pilots' push for an autonomous regulator reflects genuine frustration with bureaucratic delays, but industry stakeholders have competing interests, airlines may fear tighter oversight. The claim that DGCA has become obsolete overlooks its role in managing rapid growth without major accidents. The real test will be whether the government revives the lapsed legislation and, if so, whether the new authority strikes a balance between independence and accountability. A key number to watch: how many of the 850 aircraft are grounded for maintenance issues, a proxy for regulatory effectiveness.
Sources (3): indiatvnews.com, timesnownews.com, aajtak.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
