India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has uncovered serious safety shortcomings across major airports including Delhi and Mumbai. Surprise inspections—prompted by the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad—revealed worn aircraft tyres, faded runway markings, malfunctioning ground vehicles, and inconsistent maintenance practices. Authorities have issued strict directives mandating swift corrective action.
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High-Risk Oversights in Aircraft Maintenance and Operations
Two DGCA teams, each led by a joint director-general, conducted intensive night-time inspections at Delhi’s IGI and Mumbai’s CSMIA airports. The audit highlighted:
- Multiple aircraft annually cleared for flight with worn tyres, posing immediate safety hazards.
- Persistent technical snags reappearing on aircraft due to ineffective rectification protocols.
- Lax engineering oversight, with maintenance engineers absent during crucial snag repairs and improperly recorded logs.
- Unserviceable ground vehicles operating on tarmacs without mandated speed governors.
Infrastructure Degradation and Training Gaps
Significant lapses were found in airport infrastructure and training systems:
- Faded runway centreline markings and dim rapid-exit taxiway lights, increase the potential for pilot navigation errors.
- Outdated obstruction data, with no surveys despite new constructions possibly infringing on aerodrome safety zones.
- Flight simulators with outdated software or mismatched aircraft configurations undermine pilot training effectiveness.
- Missing or unsecured safety equipment, including unfastened life vests under cabin seats.
These findings prompted grounded flights; in one instance, an aircraft was held back due to worn tyres, and only cleared after immediate maintenance.
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Urgent Orders and Broader Oversight Ahead
DGCA swiftly issued show-cause notices and demanded all airlines and airport operators take corrective measures within seven days, under penalty of suspension. Similar surprise audits are now underway in Kolkata and Hyderabad as part of a new 360-degree regulatory review following the Ahmedabad crash.
This audit serves as a wake-up call—challenging the traditional siloed regulatory approach and signalling a systemic shift toward integrated, safety-first oversight across all sectors of India’s rapidly expanding aviation ecosystem.
About the Author – Anirudh Mittal is a B.Sc. LL.B. (Hons.) student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, with a keen interest in corporate law and tech-driven legal change.