Page 6 - Civil Aviation Ministry

India and France strengthen aerospace ties, signs MoU for bilateral coop

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu led India's delegation in meet with French aerospace representatives at New Delhi today

Govt ropes in CBRI to advise operators on structural aspects of airports

The government has roped in the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) to advise airport operators on the structural aspects of airports, according to a senior official. The move comes against the backdrop of the collapse of a canopy at the old departure forecourt of Terminal 1 (T1) at the Delhi airport in June. During the same month, there were also similar incidents at Jabalpur and Rajkot airports. Following the Delhi airport incident, the ministry decided to conduct a study of the structural aspects of T1 while state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) was asked to carry out an inspection of the structural strength of all minor and major airports. The senior civil aviation ministry official told PTI that Roorkee-based CBRI has been roped in for advising airport operators on the various structural aspects of the airports. The ministry is also planning to organise a technical workshop by CBRI for the airport operators. The official said the ministry is examining the repor

Bhubaneswar Airport capacity to rise to 8 mn per year: Aviation minister

Ram Mohan Naidu further said that the NDA government was formed in Odisha and the effort was to take the state forward in the civil aviation sector

HC directs Centre to decide representation on inefficiencies of AirSewa

The portal, designed to serve as a grievance redressal mechanism for air travellers, has reportedly become largely unresponsive

K Ram Mohan Naidu: TDP's sole face in the Cabinet is known for his promises

Mr Naidu is a promising young spark in the Modi government. And while he is intelligent enough to steer clear of taking sides in corporate rivalry in his sector, his moves will be watched closely

Civil aviation growth, regional connectivity made air travel inclusive: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted the growth of the Indian civil aviation sector and said air travel has become inclusive with the regional air connectivity scheme. Emphasising that the civil aviation sector has a major role in growth and creates many jobs, Modi said efforts should be made to ensure that the skies remain open for all and that people's dream of flying is fulfilled. The Prime Minister was addressing the Second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in the national capital, where he suggested the idea of having an international Buddhist circuit. Under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN, which has helped lower middle-class people to fly, 14 million people have travelled by air, Modi said. According to him, a growing middle class and their demand are driving forces for the civil aviation sector, and UDAN has made air travel inclusive. The government is preparing the country for advanced air mobility, and air taxis will be a reali

Efforts on to make India global aviation hub, build aircraft: KR Naidu

Highlighting the aviation sector's growth potential, Union minister K Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said efforts are on to make India a global aviation hub as well as to start manufacturing aircraft in the country. With Asia-Pacific region poised to lead global aviation growth, Naidu said strategic investments in infrastructure and collaboration amongst the regional stakeholders is critical to achieving sustainable growth across the sector. Speaking at the second Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in the national capital, Naidu emphasised on three elements -- infrastructure, integration and innovation -- for the sector's growth. "My ministry is working with the vision of establishing a seamless aviation landscape in the country, integrating helicopters and seaplane operations alongside wide-body aircraft under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN," he noted. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and the fleet size of domestic carriers

Rewa Airport gets DGCA approval; will become sixth in Madhya Pradesh

With the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granting operating licence to the airport at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh's Vindhya region will get a much-needed boost to expand economic and regional connectivity, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said. With this, Madhya Pradesh will have six airports, including Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior and Khajuraho, an official said. "The Rewa Airport in the Vindhya region has received the DGCA licence. It will boost economic activity and expand regional connectivity in the state," Yadav said in a release on Monday night. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the airport will prove to be a milestone for the development of the Vindhya region under the motto of 'Developed India-Developed Madhya Pradesh', he said. "The DGCA has granted the licence to commence operations of both passenger and cargo flights," the chief minister said. The airport will improve connectivity to various cultural and historical places and boost trade, .

Civil aviation ministry trying to address SpiceJet's issues: Rammohan Naidu

The civil aviation ministry is looking at the issues being faced by SpiceJet and address them as the efforts are aimed at having a balance that will allow operations of more airlines amid the high demand in the Indian market, Union minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Monday. The airline is grappling with multiple issues, including financial and legal woes. On August 29, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) decided to place crisis-hit SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance that will entail increased spot checks and night surveillance to ensure the safety of the airline's operations. "We are looking at SpiceJet... with the demand we have, we need more airlines to operate. So we are trying to have a balance and address the problems and (ensure the) airline runs properly," the minister said. He was responding to a question about concerns regarding the budget carrier. To a query about air ticket prices, the minister said airfares are market-driven and it is being monitored by th

Govt to set up SPV to push for aircraft manufacturing in India: Naidu

The government will set up a special purpose vehicle to push ahead with plans to start manufacturing commercial aircraft in India, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Wednesday as he highlighted the potential of the country's fast-growing aviation sector. The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill 2024, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in August, includes provisions to regulate the design and manufacturing of aircraft, supporting the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative for self-reliance. "The government is strongly pushing the idea of India manufacturing its own planes," Naidu said, adding that a special purpose vehicle will be set up with industry stakeholders and others. According to him, efforts are being to ensure that aircraft manufacturing activities can start in the next five years, he said. "We want to be a big player for manufacturing planes and also export them," Naidu said. India is a key market for aircraft manufacturers - Boeing and Airbus. State-owned Hindustan ...

Tamil Nadu startup launches country's first hybrid reusable rocket

Sets new standards for rapid space missions; the rocket launches three Cube satellites into orbit to study atmospheric conditions

Working to extend Udan scheme by another 10 years: Rammohan Naidu

The government intends to offer viability gap funding for seaplane operations, Naidu said

Civil aviation ministry announces simplified norms for seaplane operations

The civil aviation ministry on Thursday announced simplified regulations for seaplane operations, including allowing non-scheduled entities to operate such services and putting in place a simplified certificate process. The relaxed norms are aimed at encouraging seaplane operations under the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik). Generally, seaplanes are amphibian aircraft that can take off and land on the sea. Under the relaxed norms of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), there will be no need for a waterdrome license and compliance requirements have also been reduced. Waterdromes are for landing and take off of seaplanes. The revised regulations have been carefully planned and prepared after extensive consultations, said Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu. Speaking at an event in the national capital to announce the revised regulations, Naidu also said that seaplane operations can help stimulate tourism. Among other regulatory chang

SC orders civil aviation ministry to submit Nagpur airport tender files

In 2020, Maharashtra govt cancelled the tender process that had awarded the contract for the upgradation and operation of the Nagpur airport to GMR Group. GMR Group has challenged this cancellation

Mounting trouble: Indian carriers least punctual in last six months

Flight disruptions in July were caused by a faulty update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that led to an outage of Microsoft apps and services, heavy rains in Mumbai and Delhi

Lok Sabha passes Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill to replace Aircraft Act

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act and further improve the ease of doing business in the aviation space. The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill 2024 seeks to remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, 1934 -- which has been amended 21 times -- at a time when India is one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world. Moving the bill for passage in the Lower House, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the ministry will be setting up an "efficient online mechanism" to address grievances of people, including about the rise in airfares, and ensure a timely response. The ministry is looking at having a balanced approach where there is a level playing field for the airlines and the people are not exploited with higher airfares, he said. The bill includes provisions to regulate the design and manufacturing of aircraft to support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative for self-reliance. Naidu said the civil aviation ministry

Aircraft MRO industry to reach $4 bn in seven years: Aviation min tells LS

The government has taken several steps to facilitate setting up of aircraft MRO services in India and the value of the total business may go up from USD 2 billion to USD 4 billion in seven years, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. He also said that, in a major boost to the domestic Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) industry and the aviation sector, the government brought a uniform rate of 5 per cent GST on aircraft parts components, testing equipment, tools and toolkits. "The MRO industry in the country is expected to go up to USD 4 billion in seven years from the present USD 2 billion," he said during Question Hour. Naidu said if anyone wanted to set up an MRO industry with an airstrip or airport anywhere in India, the Centre was ready to provide all assistance. He said the country's aviation industry had seen massive transformation and growth during the past 10 years under the Narendra Modi government, with domestic airlines

Aviation minister promises probe into allegations of abrupt air fare hike

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Thursday promised to conduct an inquiry into allegations of abrupt fare hike when MPs try to book tickets on Air Vistara airline, following complaints by MPs and a nudge by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Raising the issue during Question Hour in Lok Sabha through a supplementary question, DMK member Dayanidhi Maran alleged that whenever he tries to book ticket on Air Vistara for the Chennai-Delhi route, initially it shows a price in the range of around Rs 25,000. However, by the time he concludes the whole booking process, the fare goes up by two to three times more, he alleged. The DMK leader wondered whether some technology applied by TCS, a software giant belonging to the same Tata group, drives up the air fare. Intervening in the discussion, Birla said he had received similar complaints from a few other MPs too and the matter should be thoroughly investigated as the "money of the tickets goes from Parliament". At this, th

16,000 remote pilot certificates issued for operating drones in India: Govt

As many as 16,000 Remote Pilot Certificates (RPCs) have been issued for operating drones in the country, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The certificates have been issued by the DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTOs). In a written reply, Mohol also said that 48 drone companies are producing DGCA type-certified Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) models in the country and 70 models have been type certified by the regulator. "The drone industry is witnessing growth in India. Till date, 16,000 Remote Pilot Certificates (RPC) have been issued by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved RPTOs," he said. There are 116-DGCA-approved RPTOs.

Delhi Airport T1 roof collapse disrupts 22k passengers, shift to T2 and T3

Delhi Airport T1 roof collapse: IIT Delhi structural engineering department to conduct independent assessment of Terminal 1. Operations at T1 will not resume till the assessment is complete