To improve surveillance, AAI integrates radar network

THE Airports Authority of India (AAI) is integrating its radar network to improve the surveillance of flights and reduce delays.

The radar integration would change the way air traffic is handled in India, since controllers in key airports such as Chennai, Delhi or Mumbai would now also be able to track flights which do not pass through their region.

Currently, air traffic in India is controlled by area control radars in twelve cities. According to data by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, there were over 5.2 lakh domestic and international departures by Indian carriers alone in 2009-10.

New radars are being added in Porbandar, Bhopal, Vishakhapatnam, Bellary (Karnataka), Jharsuguda (Orissa) and Katihar (Bihar) this year and these would be integrated with area control centres. This would improve radar coverage in the country.

Tenders have been invited to install radars at Kochi and Amritsar as well. In South India, the integration process is already underway, and the process would be completed in three months.

“A radar has been installed in Bellary and has been integrated with the network. The system would be operational by June 20. The Vishakhapatnam radar would be commissioned in August-end,'' said an AAI official from Chennai.

Next in line is the integration in the western region. A radar in Bhopal would be integrated with one Nagpur and then to Mumbai.

Initially, only air traffic controllers in Chennai would be able to monitor radar feeds from Bangalore, Hyderabad or other ATC unit in South India. AAI proposes all flights in South India above 25,000 feet would be tracked from Chennai. Those flying below 25,000 feet would be tracked by other ATC units, as is usually the case. An ATC source said, “The move will improve co-ordination between different ATC units. It will also make it easier for controllers to assign desired levels to flights.''

“The radar integration project is being carried out in a phased manner and will be completed by mid-2012,'' said AAI executive director S Sundararaman The estimated cost of installation of new radars and integration of the network is Rs 300 crore.

The addition of radars is significant, since there are certain blind spots in the country where there is nil or minimal radar coverage.

It would improve surveillance and increase the flight handling capacity of the air traffic control centres. This would also reduce delays.

“In a radar controlled airspace the minimum required lateral separation is ten miles. However when no radar coverage is available separation levels increases,'' the ATC source added.