NEW DELHI: In a pointed and impactful address in Parliament monsoon session today, MP Raghav Chadha raised a red flag over a growing crisis in India’s aviation oversight, warning that systemic shortcomings in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) could endanger passenger safety as the sector expands at record pace.
Chadha highlighted the urgent need for reform and institutional strengthening of India’s civil aviation regulator.
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“India’s civil aviation sector is booming but its regulator is cracking under pressure,” he said, drawing attention to the widening gap between industry growth and regulatory capacity.
A Regulator Under Duress
At the heart of Chadha’s concern lies the critical condition of the DGCA — the nodal agency responsible for aviation safety. “The DGCA is understaffed, underfunded, and lacks the autonomy it desperately needs,” he warned.
Chadha revealed that 55% of DGCA’s technical posts remain vacant, describing the figure not just as a statistic, but a dire warning. “These aren’t just numbers on paper. These are the very roles responsible for:
* Air safety inspections
* Pilot licensing
* Aircraft maintenance
* Certifying air-worthiness”
“This is not shortage, it’s a crisis,” Chadha declared, underscoring the direct connection between these vacancies and public safety. “In the skies, there is no margin for error.”
Call for Structural Reform
Chadha didn’t stop at diagnosis; he issued a clear and urgent prescription. “Make DGCA autonomous like SEBI and TRAI. Because safety cannot be optional.”
Drawing a parallel with India’s other independent regulators — such as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) — Chadha made a strong case for granting the DGCA statutory independence, free from bureaucratic and political interference.
As India eyes its ambition to become a global aviation hub, Chadha’s warning in Parliament shines a light on a critical blind spot. His message was unambiguous: while planes continue to take off in record numbers, the regulatory system meant to ensure they do so safely is dangerously underprepared.
In his words, this isn’t just a matter of efficiency — it’s a matter of lives.
