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The Civil Aviation Ministry will restart seaplane operations on at least two routes in India by October, Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said here on Monday. Addressing the Eastern Region Civil Aviation Ministers' Conference, Naidu said, "Seaplane operation was there once, but it was limited to a single route. The government has simplified the guidelines to operate seaplanes, and we hope that by October, we will have two seaplanes in the country operating either on the Andaman & Nicobar, Kerala, or Andhra Pradesh network." He added that the service could also be extended to Odisha's Chilika Lake and the entire eastern coast. "The service can be started on any water body where you have more than five feet depth and 200 metres of landing space," he said. Naidu said the norms for setting up a waterdrome, training pilots, and the rules and regulations governing seaplane operations have been simplified. He urged airline operators present at the conference to explore the opportunity, ...
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will make public this week its preliminary report on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad in which at least 260 people were killed on June 12, top Bureau officials told a Parliamentary panel on Wednesday. Sources also said that no report has been finalised so far and investigations are underway in one of the worst air disasters in India. The AAIB officials told the panel that the black box and voice recorder of the aircraft were intact and data was being investigated, the sources said. They said that the help of foreign players, including aircraft manufacturer Boeing, was sought to carry out detailed and thorough investigations. The AAIB had initiated an investigation a day after the crash and had constituted a multi-disciplinary team headed by its Director General GVG Yugandhar in line with globally prescribed norms. The sources said this is the first time such an important investigation is being held in India. The AAIB chief a
Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Friday said the Tata Group needs to fine-tune key aspects of Air India's operations, including maintenance, in the wake of the crash of its Dreamliner aircraft in Ahmedabad. "After three-and-a-half years of the takeover of Air India by the Tatas, the management needs to fine-tune various aspects of running a world-class airline, including maintenance," Patel told reporters here. Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI171) carrying 242 passengers including 12 crew members crashed in the Meghaninagar area shortly after the take-off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, killing 241 persons on board and others who were on the ground. The accident is being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) which comes under the civil aviation ministry. Terming the accident as a temporary setback, Patel said India's aviation sector remains largely well-managed. A Rajya Sabha MP, Patel headed the civil aviation ministry .
With security clearance being revoked for Turkish firm Celebi, the Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday said arrangements have been made at all affected airports to ensure seamless handling of passengers as well as cargo, and that special teams have been deployed to oversee operations and address any emerging issues. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, who is personally monitoring the situation at airports, said national interest and public safety are paramount and non-negotiable. The ministry is in active coordination with airport operators to manage the transition smoothly, according to an official release. "Efforts are being made to ensure that employees working with Celebi are retained and continue to contribute," it added. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Thursday revoked the security clearance for Celebi and its associated companies in the interest of national security. The ministry has made arrangements at all affected airports to ensure seamless handlin
Civil aviation authorities have decided to reopen 32 airports that were shut for civil flight operations following last week's armed conflict between India and Pakistan, official sources said on Monday. A formal announcement regarding the resumption of operations at these airports is expected to be announced soon, the sources added. Civil flight operations from 32 airports across northern and western India, including Srinagar and Amritsar, were suspended from May 9 to May 15 due to the military standoff between India and Pakistan. The Airports Authority of India (AAI), along with other aviation authorities, issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across northern and western India for all civilian flight operations.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has named Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and six others from India among the young global leaders. On April 15, WEF unveiled its 2025 cohort of young global leaders -- 116 exceptional individuals under the age of 40 who are redefining leadership in a changing world. "Feeling deeply honoured and humbled to be named a Young Global Leader 2025 by the World Economic Forum (@wef). This recognition is not just a personal milestone -- it is a reminder of the responsibility we carry as young leaders to shape a better future for our people and our nation," Naidu, who is also the youngest Cabinet Minister, said in a post on X on Thursday. Apart from Naidu, there are six others from India on the list. They are Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, OYO Hotels and Homes; Alok Medikepura Anil, Managing Director, Next Big Innovation Labs; Natarajan Sankar, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group; Nipun Malhotra, Founder,