NEW DELHI: Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which was entrusted with the task of licencing air traffic controllers (ATCOs) by March 2019, may miss the deadline.
A senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation said that now DGCA will regulate the licencing of air traffic controllers. Earlier, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) was doing the job.
After the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in January performed an audit and voiced several concerns over the security of India’s airports and aviation infrastructure, the Civil Aviation Ministry assigned the task to the DGCA.
The licencing exercise may not end by March 2019 as it needs formulation of regulations, guidance material and an office set up, including technical manpower and training.
“Fresh licenses to 3,100 air traffic controllers have to be issued by March 2019. However, the process is still going on,” said an official who did not wish to be named.