Latest news with #MurlidharMohol
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Stage Set For Nagpur's First CM Cup U-15 Wrestling Nationals
Nagpur: The indoor stadium of the Divisional Sports Complex in Mankapur is all decked up to host Nagpur's first Chief Minister's Cup U-15 National Wrestling Championship from Saturday. The Nagpur District Wrestling Association (NDWA) and the Wrestling Association of Maharashtra will jointly organise the two-day nationals under the aegis of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). As many as 750 wrestlers from 25 states have reached Nagpur, from where 30 top grapplers will be selected to represent India in the Asian Wrestling meet, slated to be played in Kyrgyzstan from July 5 to 13. The competition will be conducted in the Freestyle and Greco-Roman across various weight categories for boys and girls. On the opening day of the nationals, 15 gold medal bouts will be contested. Following the mandatory medical tests and weigh-ins in the morning session, the first bout in the qualifications and repechages will begin from 9.30 am. The formal inauguration of the national championship is scheduled for 5.30 pm. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate the championship. On the occasion, MP Murlidhar Mohol, state sports minister Dattatray Bharne, guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh, and other officials will share the dais. Sandip Joshi, president of the organising committee and MLC, and secretary Piyush Ambulkar, stated that the stage is all set for the first-ever national championship in Nagpur. The organising committee decided to distribute prizes to champion wrestlers, marking the first time cash rewards would be awarded in any nationals. A total prizemoney of Rs7.5 lakh will be distributed to the podium finishers with the winner in each category taking home Rs 11,000 each.
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
'Chronic' safety staff shortage: Parliamentary panel flagged before Air India crash
Nearly three months before the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash, a parliamentary panel flagged 'chronic' understaffing in government bodies responsible for aviation safety and regulatory oversight in a March 2025 report, the standing committee on transport, tourism, and culture said over 53 per cent of posts were lying vacant in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the agency responsible for the safety of every flight that takes off or lands in the widespread, understaffing only begins to disrupt operations when critical roles are left committee expressed 'serious concerns' over a 'chronic' understaffing across key aviation regulatory and operational bodies, particularly in the DGCA, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). 'The committee is deeply concerned that chronic understaffing in these institutions could undermine safety, security, and service delivery standards, particularly as air traffic volumes continue to rise,' the report produced in the 375th Report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation reveals a gross staff shortage: more than 53% of positions are vacant in the DGCA, which oversees aviation safety; 35% in the BCAS, responsible for airport security; and 17% in the AAI, which manages airport infrastructure. Over 53% of DGCA (aviation safety), 35% of BCAS (airport security), and 17% of AAI (airport infrastructure) positions are vacant. advertisementTo understand the extent of the staffing crisis, India Today's OSINT team further looked into year-wise data from the Sansad records over the last five years. In a written response in April 2025, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, provided a year-wise breakdown of sanctioned strength, occupied positions, and vacancies across key aviation bodies. Vacancies in AAI increased to 9502 in 2025 from 8804 in 2024. As of March 31 this year, the AAI reported 9,502 vacant positions or nearly one-third of 25,730 sanctioned posts. The AAI is solely responsible for the development and maintenance of airport infrastructure, as well as Air Traffic Management (ATM) services. Data showed 8,804 vacancies in 2023, 9,057 in 2022, and 11,309 in 2021. At least 814 positions vacant in DGCA as of March, 2025 The most alarming trend, as highlighted by the standing committee report, relates to the DGCA. With over 53% of its positions vacant, the parliamentary standing committee report raises 'fundamental concerns about its capacity to enforce aviation safety standards effectively.'advertisementA serving commercial pilot told India Today, "The DGCA has two bodies overseeing safety - the flying staff and ground engineers, with each undergoing mandatory training every six months'.The report also flags underutilisation of funds by the DGCA, which spent Rs 205.6 crore out of the revised allocation of Rs 278 crore as of January isn't a one-off issue. Over the past five years, even as air passenger traffic has tripled and fleet size has almost doubled, the number of personnel in aviation safety has increased by barely 100. Year-on-year data reveals a slight increase in the number of vacancies at the DGCA in 2025. Year-on-year data shows a rise in vacant positions at BCAS, increasing from 187 in 2024 to 224 in 2025. A similar pattern is seen in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), which is responsible for maintaining aviation security. Nearly 35% of its sanctioned posts remain unfilled, raising concerns about the effectiveness and robustness of security oversight at Indian data shows a rise in vacant positions at BCAS, increasing from 187 in 2024 to 224 in per the civil aviation ministry, the Indian aviation sector received 999 hoax bomb threats in 2024, nearly 10 times higher than the previous year's InMust Watch
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
AI 171 crash probe: Ground handling agencies at SVPI airport questioned
Ahmedabad: Ground handling agencies at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport are under scrutiny by multiple investigation agencies as part of the ongoing probe into the crash of Air India flight AI 171 last week. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The investigation, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), is being conducted with support from Gujarat Police, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A parallel probe has been initiated by the United States' National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), bringing international aviation experts to the crash site in Ahmedabad. "All personnel involved in ground handling operations for the ill-fated flight were questioned, and their statements recorded," said a source familiar with the investigation. "Phones of key staff members who cleared the aircraft for take-off were seized for further examination." A comprehensive, multi-agency probe is underway to determine the cause of the crash. Investigators reportedly obtained CCTV footage from airport premises and are not ruling out the possibility of sabotage. On June 12, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed moments after take-off from SVPI Airport, killing 241 of the 242 on board. Investigating teams have since recovered the digital flight data recorder (DFDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). These are crucial pieces of evidence, which will help identify what led to the crash of AI 171. A CVR records cockpit sounds, including pilot conversations, alarms and sounds of engine and switches clicking. The DFDR, on the other hand, logs hours of flight parameters such as speed, altitude, thrust, flap positions, autopilot inputs, acceleration, lift and landing gear movements. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to officials, the pilot issued a Mayday call shortly before the aircraft lost contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) at SVPI airport. Officials from Boeing, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the NTSB, and UK-based aviation experts are now in Ahmedabad as part of the probe. The NTSB, in accordance with the international protocol, is investigating the crash independently due to the aircraft's American origin. This is the first time a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has crashed. The US agency, an independent federal body, is tasked with determining the causes of civil aviation accidents and recommending preventive measures. Union minister Murlidhar Mohol on Tuesday confirmed that a report from the central govt-appointed inquiry panel will be submitted within three months. — With inputs from agencies
Scroll.in
4 days ago
- General
- Scroll.in
Ahmedabad plane crash: DNA confirms identities of 135 of those killed
The identities of 135 persons who died in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 have been confirmed through DNA testing, The New Indian Express quoted an official as saying on Tuesday. The bodies of 101 persons have been handed over to their families, said Dr Rakesh Joshi, the medical superintendent at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Five among them were those who died on the ground after the aircraft crashed in a residential area. Two hundred and forty-two persons were aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft – enroute to London's Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad – that crashed just 33 seconds after taking off on June 12. Only one passenger survived with ' impact injuries '. The aircraft's crash into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College also killed at least 33 persons on the ground. This is being viewed as the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. A high-level panel constituted to probe the accident is expected to submit its report within three months, Civil Aviation Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol was quoted as saying by The Hindu on Tuesday. The minister added that safety checks have been conducted on 12 out of the 34 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft that Air India operates. 'No issue has been found in them yet,' he told The Hindu. Separately, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is conducting a probe into the crash. The United States' National Transportation Safety Board has also launched a parallel investigation. Air India's Ahmedabad-London flight cancelled An Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London, scheduled for Tuesday, was cancelled hours before departure from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, The Times of India reported. The airline said that it cancelled flight AI-159 'due to the unavailability of the aircraft, resulting from airspace restrictions and additional precautionary checks'. These additional checks are leading to 'longer than usual turnaround of aircraft'. An Air India spokesperson told the newspaper that the cancellation was 'not due to any technical snag as claimed'. The spokesperson said affected passengers are being offered a choice between a full refund or free-of-cost rescheduling. The Ahmedabad-London route, previously designated as Air India flight AI-171, was re-designated as AI-159 after the June 12 plane crash.
India Gazette
6 days ago
- General
- India Gazette
"Horrific and tragic": Union MoS Murlidhar Mohol expresses grief over Uttarakhand helicopter crash
New Delhi [India], June 15 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on Sunday expressed grief over the crash of a helicopter near the forested area of Gaurikund in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district. In a post on social media X, the Minister called the incident 'horrific and tragic.' He also expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. 'The helicopter crash near Gaurikund on the Kedarnath Yatra route is a horrific and tragic incident. After this accident, rescue work has been started on a war footing by the Uttarakhand administration and the NDRF. #DGCA and #AAIB are starting the investigation of this accident soon. Some devotees have died in this accident. May their souls attain salvation and may their families get the strength to overcome this sorrow. This is my prayer at the feet of Baba Kedarnath!' the post read. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also called the accident 'unfortunate' and stated that all relevant authorities had been instructed to provide necessary assistance to the family. 'The Yavatmal Disaster Management Cell has received information that three devotees of the Jaiswal family from Wani in Yavatmal district died in a helicopter accident at Gaurikund while en route to Kedarnath. This accident is unfortunate and tragic and instructions have been given to the relevant authorities to provide all necessary assistance to the family. I share the grief of the Jaiswal family and the government is with us. My humble tributes to the devotees who died in this accident,' Shinde's post read. Earlier this morning, seven people, including the pilot on board a helicopter were killed after the chopper crashed near the forested area of Gaurikund in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said. The Aryan Aviation Helicopter was flying to Guptkashi from the Kedarnath Dham when it crashed at 5:30 am today. The deceased have been identified as Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan (39), resident of Jaipur, Vikram Rawat (47) a Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee representative and resident of Rasi, Vinod Devi (66), resident of Uttar Pradesh, Trishti Singh (19), resident of Uttar Pradesh, Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41), resident of Gujarat, Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal and Kashi (2), resident of Maharashtra. Rescue teams were immediately dispatched under the direction of SDRF Commander Arpan Yadav. The incident spot was located in a very inaccessible and dense forest area, where a fast-paced and coordinated rescue operation was carried out by the joint teams of SDRF, NDRF, and local police. Rescue teams worked in inclement weather to retrieve the bodies of the deceased.(ANI)
