Amid rising concerns over aviation safety in India, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) headed by Congress Member of Parliament Mr K.C Venugopal on Tuesday held a meeting with the senior officials of Civil Aviation Ministry (MoCA), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and representatives of airlines and airports to discuss issues pertaining to aviation safety and airfare surge.The discussions aimed to review safety protocols and regulatory oversight in civil aviation. Rising airfare particularly in certain situations like Pahalgam terror attack and Mahakumbh were also discussed. The MoCA was asked to come with clear plans on this.Since the meeting took place in the backdrop of Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last month, the Parliamentarians sought to know when the probe report will be ready. It is learnt that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) is expected to submit the preliminary report on Air India plane crash of June 12 to MoCA in a couple of days. The MoCA minister Mr K. Rammohan Naidu had indicated that the preliminary report will be out within a month after the Black Box is decoded and analysed.”Everybody is concerned about the safety. They (DGCA and MoCA officials) were asked what they are doing on it. Some of the answers were given today and some will be given in the next meeting. We are also discussing the increase in air fares, especially post Pahalgam and during Mahakumbh… The committee has asked them (MoCA) to have clear-cut regulations on fares. Fairplay should be there when it comes to fares,” Mr Venugopal said after the meeting.Sources said that some members demanded an audit of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Top airline representatives, including Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson were present. The MPs questioned Air India MD about the overall safety steps being taken by the airline, action with regard to complaints of broken seats, air-conditioning and general maintenance of planes including and non-functional inflight entertainment systems on long haul flights. It is learnt that Air India informed the MPs about the DGCA mandated security audit of its Boeing 787 and 777 planes.Member of PAC and former Civil Aviation Minister Mr Praful Patel said the issue of air travel safety dominated the meeting. “There have been many incidents post the Ahmedabad plane crash. It needed to be brought into focus, safety is paramount, anybody who flies, wants to feel safe, and assured that he is going to reach his destination… I just pointed out to the DGCA that they should take safety as paramount. I can tell Indian aviation is safe, there is no need to panic. All airlines, including Air India, follow safety protocols. DGCA is well equipped, but they are facing a shortage of top level people, they need more people. A lot of retired senior people can be brought back for short tenure to address understaffing at the higher level to ensure safety and restore passenger confidence,” Mr Patel said after the meeting.BJP MP Jagadambika Pal said the PAC also discussed about the Buddhist Circuit under which important places that are significant in Buddhism will be interconnected.Apart from DGCA and MoCA, officials from Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA), Airports Authority of India (AAI), AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Ltd (AAICLAS) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), also attended the meeting. The agenda of the meeting was to take oral evidence of the representatives of the ministry, DGCA, AERA, AAI, AAICLAS, BCAS and other concerned organisations, including airport operators and airlines, on the subject ‘Levy and regulation of fees, tariffs, user charges, etc. on public infrastructure and other public utilities’, as per the Lok Sabha website.
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