Saurabh Sinha | Dec 16, 2013, 04.08AM IST
The agencies responsible for managing flight safety, air traffic control, airports and security could all be running on autopilot with a vacant captain’s seat. (TOI file photo by Nilesh Wairkar)
NEW DELHI: Air travellers in India will do well to say a little prayer before taking a flight in the New Year. The agencies responsible for managing flight safety, air traffic control, airports and security could all be running on autopilot with a vacant captain's seat.
Two of the most critical aviation agencies — the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) — could be headless by this month-end and join the ranks of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd (PHHL), both of whom have been without a chief since last year. A ministry joint secretary, Anil Srivastava, has joint charge of PHHL since last March and a joint commissioner in BCAS, B B Dash, has additional charge of the agency since last October.
DGCA chief Arun Mishra, one of the most experienced IAS officers in aviation, will either go back to West Bengal cadre or be sent to the International Civil Aviation Organization as the Asia Pacific head. Ironically, the DGCA is under the scanner of the US federal aviation administration for understaffing and doubts over the desi regulator's ability to monitor the country's growing air traffic.
The aviation ministry has recommended extension for AAI chairman VP Agrawal, who completes five years in office on December 31, but has one-and-a-half-years to go before he reaches the retirement age of 58. However, the government has still not taken a call on granting him an extension. Other joint secretaries in the ministry are likely to be given charge of DGCA when Arun Mishra leaves and at AAI if chairman V P Agrawal's extension does not come in time.
The story of aviation's headless chickens may not end here. Air India CMD Rohit Nandan — who managed to put the airline back in running for Star Alliance membership by substantially improving its performance — is among the names being considered to be the next DGCA. If he is shifted, then AI too could be rudderless. On top of all this, aviation secretary K N Shrivastava is retiring on December 31 and a new person will take charge of a ministry full of headless key agencies.
"We got a one-year extension for Arun Mishra as DG, but he has been recalled by his state cadre. AAI chairman may get extension. We sent a name for PHHL that was first cleared by the CVC and later the same was withdrawn. BCAS appointment is also stuck due to some issues. We will find suitable replacements at the earliest," said aviation minister Ajit Singh.
The story of the sector's headless chickens may not end here. One of the replacements being considered for outgoing DGCA chief Arun Mishra is Air India's CMD Rohit Nandan, which, if it happens, will also leave the national carrier without a shepherd.
The agencies responsible for managing flight safety, air traffic control, airports and security could all be running on autopilot with a vacant captain’s seat. (TOI file photo by Nilesh Wairkar)
NEW DELHI: Air travellers in India will do well to say a little prayer before taking a flight in the New Year. The agencies responsible for managing flight safety, air traffic control, airports and security could all be running on autopilot with a vacant captain's seat.
Two of the most critical aviation agencies — the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) — could be headless by this month-end and join the ranks of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd (PHHL), both of whom have been without a chief since last year. A ministry joint secretary, Anil Srivastava, has joint charge of PHHL since last March and a joint commissioner in BCAS, B B Dash, has additional charge of the agency since last October.
DGCA chief Arun Mishra, one of the most experienced IAS officers in aviation, will either go back to West Bengal cadre or be sent to the International Civil Aviation Organization as the Asia Pacific head. Ironically, the DGCA is under the scanner of the US federal aviation administration for understaffing and doubts over the desi regulator's ability to monitor the country's growing air traffic.
The aviation ministry has recommended extension for AAI chairman VP Agrawal, who completes five years in office on December 31, but has one-and-a-half-years to go before he reaches the retirement age of 58. However, the government has still not taken a call on granting him an extension. Other joint secretaries in the ministry are likely to be given charge of DGCA when Arun Mishra leaves and at AAI if chairman V P Agrawal's extension does not come in time.
The story of aviation's headless chickens may not end here. Air India CMD Rohit Nandan — who managed to put the airline back in running for Star Alliance membership by substantially improving its performance — is among the names being considered to be the next DGCA. If he is shifted, then AI too could be rudderless. On top of all this, aviation secretary K N Shrivastava is retiring on December 31 and a new person will take charge of a ministry full of headless key agencies.
"We got a one-year extension for Arun Mishra as DG, but he has been recalled by his state cadre. AAI chairman may get extension. We sent a name for PHHL that was first cleared by the CVC and later the same was withdrawn. BCAS appointment is also stuck due to some issues. We will find suitable replacements at the earliest," said aviation minister Ajit Singh.
The story of the sector's headless chickens may not end here. One of the replacements being considered for outgoing DGCA chief Arun Mishra is Air India's CMD Rohit Nandan, which, if it happens, will also leave the national carrier without a shepherd.
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