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India Today
2 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Disaster after disaster: Who is accountable?
It was meant to be a week when the Narendra Modi-led NDA government would celebrate its 11th year in power with the signature 'band, baaja, baraat' media hype that has been its forte. And yet, for once, even the astute headline management skills of the government's cheerleaders couldn't detract from the awfulness of the breaking news in the second week of June: at least 270 people died in the worst civil aviation disaster in this country since two planes collided mid-air in 1996. That the Air India flight 171 crashed just outside Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the home state of the government's Big Two, perhaps makes the tragedy even more poignant. Far from celebrating a political party milestone, the nation was united in it is premature to speculate over the causes of the crash – various aviation 'experts' in TV studios have proffered different theories – the crash has triggered a renewed debate over air safety. While official data suggests India's safety track record is at par with global standards, there are enough reasons for concern. A Tata Group-run Air India management still coming to terms with the fact that running a legacy airline is not quite the same as managing a steel or any other consumer business; Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company that finds itself under scrutiny once again; the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) whose supervisory and regulatory powers over a rapidly expanding sector will come under the scanner; the Adani group which manages and operates the Ahmedabad airport will also have to provide to give context. A parliamentary standing committee report on MOCA in March this year pointed out that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was operating with 53% of its sanctioned posts vacant, while the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has a vacancy rate of 35%. The government's ambitious UDAN scheme aims to connect 120 new destinations, but its budget has been slashed by 32%. While the number of airports has nearly doubled in the last decade, the amount being spent on maintaining safety standards lags behind. Which raises a big question: will a horrific air crash change anything on the ground? The black box and flight data recorder may provide more clues as to what happened for a Dreamliner plane to explode into a fireball just seconds after take-off but will the inquiry be fair and transparent in revealing the truth given the mighty stakeholders involved? Which brings one to ask a critical question: is there any ACCOUNTABILITY in our system to ensure responsibility is fixed on key figures in a time-bound manner? Just look at the series of events in a disastrous month of June that still has some days to June 4, just a day after the IPL final, a stampede in Bengaluru during the victory celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru left 11 people dead, many more injured. The rushed event was organised despite the fact that the police had not given the required permission. With back-to-back events being organised at the Vidhan Soudha and Chinnaswamy Stadium, the police was overwhelmed by the surging crowds. A public spectacle for a privately-run franchise's triumph was given priority over the urgent need for public safety. Instead of accepting responsibility, the faction-ridden Congress government in Karnataka has busily disowned its culpability. Bengaluru's top cop has been suspended while no politician who happily posed with the star players has been held to June 9, four people died and nine were injured in a rail accident in Mumbra near Mumbai. The commuters fell onto the tracks while they were standing on the footboards of overcrowded trains. People hanging by the door in peak hour crowding is not new with a sharp curve along the Mumbra track making it even more hazardous. While a Central Railway committee is probing the incident, the underlying causes of a shambolic public transport system in a megapolis like Mumbai remain unaddressed. Is the creaking suburban train system suffering from neglect as alleged by commuter organisations while the private car traffic whizzes by on a shining coastal road?advertisementOn June 16, a bridge collapsed near Pune due to overcrowding amidst heavy rainfall, leaving four people dead and several more injured. The 30-year-old bridge was deemed 'unsafe' but, despite red flags being raised by locals for several years, a work order for the construction of a new bridge was delayed and reportedly issued only five days before the collapse. Approval of Rs 8 crore for a new bridge was given last year, but bureaucratic red-tapism meant that it was all too late to avoid a tragedy. Yet again, Maharashtra's BJP-led ruling alliance politicians have fulminated and promised action, only presumably until the next bridge collapse serves as another wake-up June 15, seven people died when a chopper flying from Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi in Uttarakhand crashed in the forest. Worryingly, this was the fifth such incident in just six weeks in the area, raising questions over the feasibility of helicopter services in inclement weather in the mountains. Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami has promised to put in place a Standard Operating Procedure while the DGCA has assured extra surveillance. Once again, a case of too little, too the chronology of each such tragedy follows a familiar pattern. Little attention is paid to adhering to strict safety norms in a characteristic 'chalta hai' attitude. Rather than focus on the rigors of daily governance, priority is given to the optics of political grandstanding. More fast trains are flagged, more airports are commissioned, more tourist sites are created, more glitzy sports celebrations are a Viksit Bharat by 2047, as envisaged by the Modi government, is a noble aim. Yet, the grim reality on the ground often doesn't match the dreams being spun in the air in a nation of 1.4 billion people. And then, when every now and then, a rickety bridge collapses, a stampede is caused by mass hysteria or there is a rail or air accident, those in positions of power are the first to shrug off their responsibility. After all, in almost all instances, it is the faceless, anonymous Indian who pays with their lives. Unless there is a fundamental change in approach that places a premium on accountability above all else, we will simply lurch from one disaster to the next. Because in India, if there is one sport that we deserve an Olympic medal in, it is 'passing the buck'.advertisementPost-script: Ironically, just a few days ago, a BBC investigative report exposed the truth of the Mahakumbh stampede deaths in January this year. Officially, the UP government claimed 37 people died, but the detailed BBC investigation found the number was at least 82. If we lie about death, what price is there for human lives?(Rajdeep Sardesai is a senior journalist and author. His latest book is 2024: The Election That Surprised India)(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Tune InMust Watch
India Today
3 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Weeks before Air India crash, parliament panel flagged aviation security funding
The Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has brought into focus a Parliament committee report presented in March that flagged discrepancies in funding for accident investigations and aviation India being the third-largest aviation market globally, the report said budgetary allocation of Rs 35 crore for security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities was insufficient. advertisementREPORT RAISED POOR FUNDING TO AAIB, BCASThe Department-related Parliament Standing Committee on Tourism, Transport and Culture's report, presented in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025, raised disproportionate budget allocations to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated Rs 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, AAIB and BCAS received only Rs 20 crore and Rs 15 crore AAIB is probing the Ahmedabad incident, where a London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into the campus of a medical college and burst into but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board the flight (AI 171) and another 29 people, including five MBBS students, on the ground were committee observed that in view of a multifold increase in airports in India, and passenger surge, more funds need to be allocated to the AAIB and BCAS."The capital outlay for BE 2025-26 has a distinct imbalance in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies," the report report said the allocation to the DGCA, which commands the largest share of Rs 30 crore - nearly half of the total budget - must be carefully examined to ensure "efficiency and accountability". The DGCA is entrusted with regulatory oversight and ensures compliance of airlines with aviation report stated that while regulatory compliance remains essential, the rapid expansion of infrastructure - with airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 147 in 2022 and a target of 220 by 2024-255 - necessitates proportional growth in security capabilities and accident investigation resources."It is imperative to assess whether these funds are adequate to strengthen security infrastructure and enhance investigative capabilities. As aviation expands to Tier Il and III cities under the modified UDAN scheme, security infrastructure and capabilities must be extended proportionally," the report further BODIES UNDERSTAFFEDThe panel also raised serious concerns over the limited manpower in the DGCA, BCAS, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).As per the 375th report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, more than 53% of positions are vacant in the DGCA, 35% in the BCAS, and 17% in the AAI, which manages airport InMust Watch
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Koraput admn initiates process to expand Jeypore airport
1 2 Koraput: In a major step toward enhancing regional air connectivity, the Koraput administration has initiated the land schedule exercise to facilitate the expansion of Jeypore airport from 2B to 3C category. The proposed upgrade will enable the airport to accommodate 72-seater aircrafts and support round-the-clock operations, unaffected by runway visual range limitations. According to sub-collector (Jeypore) A Sasya Reddy, the state commerce department has approved the airport's upgradation and over 200 acres of land will be acquired to meet the requirements. "Following instructions from the state govt, a detailed land schedule survey has been initiated to identify the coordinates and quantum of land needed for the expansion," she said. The land identified for acquisition includes areas in Banko Bija, Gagnapur and Ekamba villages. As part of the process, a social impact assessment survey will follow, along with gram sabha meetings, to record the opinions and grievances of the affected villagers. "If all procedures move forward smoothly, we are hopeful that larger aircrafts could begin operations at Jeypore airport within the next two years," Reddy added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Jeypore tehsildar Chittranjan Patnaik stated that while the exact land requirement is still under final assessment, approximately 250 to 280 acres, both private and govt land, may be acquired. The move comes after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) submitted a favourable feasibility survey report last August, supporting the airport's expansion. Under the proposed plan, the current 1,200-meter runway will be extended to 2,700 meters, with additional upgrades in safety and security infrastructure to meet higher operational standards. Jeypore airport, which began commercial operations on October 31, 2022 under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, currently handles two nine-seater flights daily between Bhubaneswar and Jeypore and one daily flight connecting Jeypore to Visakhapatnam. "The expansion will significantly boost regional connectivity, enhance the tourism potential of the district while positioning Jeypore as a vital travel and economic hub in the state," Reddy added.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Bihar Cabinet gives nod to sign MoU with AAI to develop six small airports under UDAN scheme
The Bihar Cabinet on Tuesday approved the signing of an MoU between Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the State government for developing six small airports under the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme in the State. The airports that would be developed are Madhubani, Birpur (Supaul), Munger, Valmikinagar (West Champaran), Muzaffarpur and Saharsa. The decision would pave the way for building airports and related infrastructure necessary for the development of these six airports, Cabinet Secretariat Department's Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) S. Siddharth said. The Cabinet has sanctioned initial allotment of ₹25 crore each for the development of six airports. Earlier this month, the Cabinet also reduced the rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) rate from 29% to 4% on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which would enable the aircrafts to refuel at Patna. The decision was taken to increase the numbers of flights and make the state competitive on par with neighbouring States. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated Patna airport's new terminal built at the cost of ₹1,200 crore to boost tourism and handle one crore passengers annually. He had also laid the foundation for ₹1,410 crore civil enclave at Bihta Airport. . . The Cabinet also approved the extension of contract period for financial year 2025-26 for 1,717 Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel. These SAP personnel are retired Indian Army personnel. The Cabinet also gave its nod to the transfer of 70.5 acres of land to Industries department, Bihar, Patna for the development of an industrial area. The land falls in Amnour circle of Saran district. r.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Bihar Cabinet decisions: 6 new airports, MSP for chana, pulses, and more
The Bihar Cabinet has approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the state government for the development of six small airports under the 'Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik' (UDAN) scheme. The airports identified for development are in Madhubani, Veerpur, Munger, Valmikinagar, Muzaffarpur, and Saharsa. The Cabinet has sanctioned an initial allocation of ₹25 crore for each airport to support infrastructure development. According to the Bihar Cabinet Secretariat Department's Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) S Siddharth, the decision will enable the development of necessary infrastructure at these locations. MSP declared for chickpeas, lentil, mustard The Cabinet approved the Food and Consumer Protection Department's proposal for procurement of pulses and oilseeds at Minimum Support Price (MSP). MSP for the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2025–26 has been fixed as follows: Chana (chickpeas): ₹5,650 per quintal Masoor (lentil): ₹6,700 per quintal Mustard: ₹5,950 per quintal Five-star hotel to replace Hotel Patliputra Ashok In another decision, the Cabinet approved the allotment of a 'letter of award' to Kumar Infratrade Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Patna, for constructing a five-star hotel on the land of Hotel Patliputra Ashok. The hotel will be developed under a 60-year lease in PPP mode, with the lease tenure extendable by another 30 years. The company will deposit an amount based on the minimum value register (MVR) and annual lease deed fee. This will be the first of three five-star hotels planned in the city. Bidding for the other two—at the Bankipore bus stand and Sultan Palace—is underway. Rules for compassionate appointments updated The Cabinet approved the Bihar Rajya Vidyalaya Lipik (Niyukti, Sewashart evam Anushashnik Karwai) rules. Under this, wards of deceased teaching and non-teaching staff may be appointed on compassionate grounds. Fifty per cent of sanctioned posts will be filled through this provision, while the remaining 50 per cent will be filled by direct recruitment. SAP contract extension for 1,717 personnel The contracts for 1,717 Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel, all retired members of the Indian Army, have been extended for the financial year 2025–26. Sand deposit study sanctioned in five rivers Approval was given to the Mines and Geology Department for a replenishment study of the Sone, Kiul, Falgu, Morhar, and Chanan rivers. This study, to be conducted by the Central Mine Planning & Design Institute (CMPDI), will assess sand deposits after the monsoon. The findings will guide sand mining permissions in line with District Mines Survey Reports. The project has been allocated ₹2.58 crore. Land allocated for industrial area in Saran The Cabinet approved the transfer of 70.5 acres of land in Arna (Mauja), Amnour circle, Saran district to the Industries Department for the development of an industrial area.
