BHUBANESWAR: As the aviation sector witnesses rapid expansion in Odisha, the government has initiated process for establishment of an advanced Aviation Security Training Institute (ASTI) to cater to the aviation security needs of different airports in the state.
Sources said the old premises of Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI) at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), Bhubaneswar is being refurbished and developed by the state Directorate of Civil Aviation as ASTI, in accordance with the guidelines and approval of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), for the conduct of aviation security-related training.
As developing the training institute with all necessary infrastructure will take time, the Aviation directorate has decided to provide an interim location with required infrastructure in another area of the city for functioning of ASTI. The institute is expected to function temporarily from Mancheswar area, sources added.
A BPIA official privy to the development said, the state now has multiple airports and airstrips. Besides, the government has planned an international airport in Puri and proposed multiple new airstrips in Sambalpur, Nuapada and other districts. Accordingly, the new training centre will meet the growing needs of aviation professionals and provide job opportunities to aspiring youths in the state’s expanding aviation sector.
Sources said ASTI will be developed in public-private partnership (PPP) mode to achieve the highest industry standards in aviation security and safety-related training.
The private partner will operate and maintain the facility and also conduct different training. The aviation training in authorised professional courses will be given to youths, especially those from the state, at reasonable and affordable charges, and focus will be given on generating employment-ready professionals who can be engaged by the aviation industry.
Steps will also be taken to develop ASTI as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the field of aviation security training in the future to meet the growing needs of trained aviation security personnel across the country, sources in the Aviation directorate said.