HC to consider accusation against civil aviation, issue notice

The Delhi High Court today decided to consider a petition accusing the civil aviation authorities of overlooking alleged violation of aircraft maintenance schedules by airlines, endangering passenger safety.
The court issued notice to the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Director General for Civil Aviation's (DGCA) seeking their response on the charge that various private airlines operating in the country were "violating/circumventing the mandatory provisions for airworthiness and air safety".
All aircraft maintenance checks are periodic inspections that have to be carried out on all commercial or civil aircraft after a certain time or flying hours. There are several levels of checks which have to be performed on the planes as per the given schedules.

The petition has sought direction to the aviation authorities to ensure safety of passengers on aircraft flying in and out India, alleging they were overlooking the prescribed maintenance schedules.
"Notice issued to the ministry and DGCA. They will file a short affidavit with regard to the steps taken on the issue raised in the petition. The same shall be filed before the next date of hearing on October 7," a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Alok Kumar who sought direction to DGCA, the regulatory body governing aviation safety, to formulate a procedure to systematically and periodically monitor and ensure that all the airlines follow the aircraft maintenance schedules prescribed by the aircraft manufacturers.

The petition raised substantial issues pertaining to the safety of aircraft, passengers and the concomitant operations and maintenance of civilian aircraft being flown in India.