PM reviews strategies for making India's civil aviation sector more efficient

A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday decided that the Indian air space should be effectively used in a manner that flying time for travellers is reduced and airlines also save costs.

That will be done in close cooperation with the Department of Military Affairs, an official statement said after Modi held a comprehensive meeting to review the strategies that could help in making India's civil aviation sector more efficient.

"For generation of more revenue as well as to bring in more efficiency at the airports, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has been asked to expedite the process of handing over of six more airports on PPP basis by commencing the tender process within three months," it said.

The meeting, which was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri among others, also reviewed the e-DGCA project, aimed at bringing in more transparency in the DGCA's office and helping all stakeholders by reducing the processing time for various licences and permissions.

"It was also decided that all reform initiatives taken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the organizations under it should proceed in a time bound manner," the statement added.

The civil aviation sector has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced governments around the world to impose restrictions on the movement of people and virtually shut flights.