NEW DELHI: There is a critical shortage of personnel in Air Traffic Control (ATC) centres across India, posing a significant risk to flight safety. With the recent opening of Navi Mumbai International Airport and the imminent launch of Jewar International Airport in Noida, the problem is only expected to worsen, raising serious concerns for the country's rapidly growing aviation sector.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which oversees these crucial hubs of flight operations, is struggling to keep up with staffing requirements. According to an AAI source, “The sanctioned strength of ATC officers is 5,337, but there are currently 1,613 vacancies. With new airports coming up and more flights being introduced daily, we need at least 8,000 officers. This severe shortfall is a direct threat to passenger safety and to the wellbeing of existing officers.”
ATC operations run 24/7, and only in 2019 were Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), similar to those enforced for pilots, implemented for ATC personnel. “Before that, ATCOs were putting in excessively long hours in a role where even a moment’s lapse in attention can have disastrous consequences,” the source noted.
Adding to the problem is a lack of adequate training infrastructure. “There are just three ATC training centres in the entire country. India urgently needs a modern, world-class training institute to meet future demand,” the source added.
ATC services are divided into two critical wings, Air Navigation Services and Communication Navigation Services, both of which must work in close coordination to manage aircraft movements, communication, navigation, and surveillance systems.
Only candidates with specific technical qualifications, such as an engineering degree (B.Tech), or an M.Sc. in Physics with Electronics, are eligible to apply for ATCO positions, further limiting the recruitment pool.
“Despite being a government job, the demanding shift work and comparatively lower pay make it less attractive to job seekers,” another source explained. “An ATCO may manage 15 to 20 aircraft at once, whereas a pilot is responsible for only one. Yet, a new ATCO earns about Rs 60,000 per month, while a pilot starting their career makes around Rs 2.5 lakh.”
Though recruitment is held annually, it has failed to keep pace with the growing demands of the sector. “Whenever new airports are launched, experienced controllers from older, busier airports are transferred, which only shifts the staffing problem elsewhere,” said another source.
The staffing crisis has already drawn attention in Parliament during the most recent session. However, the AAI has so far declined to issue an official comment.
With India's aviation industry on a high-growth trajectory, stakeholders warn that without immediate and sustained intervention, the ATC personnel shortage could become a major bottleneck, and a serious safety hazard.
