Showing that the government is serious about improving civil aviation in the country, the civil aviation minister has once again stated in a communication to his colleagues that Air Navigation Services (ANS) require different set of skills and exposure and hence the department has to be hived off from Airports Authority of India (AAI) by enacting an Act in parliament.
Showing that the government is serious about improving civil aviation in the country, the civil aviation minister has once again stated in a communication to his colleagues that Air Navigation Services (ANS) require different set of skills and exposure and hence the department has to be hived off from Airports Authority of India (AAI) by enacting an Act in parliament.
The minister added that in an age when airports are being privatised, not hiving off ANS facilities will cause legal issues and conflict of interest. ANS monitors air traffic movement.
"The aviation industry is changing, more and more airports are being privatised. As AAI will be partner in these airports, ANS, which are at present provided by the AAI, might create several issues. As ANS' requirements are completely different, it's better to hive it off," said an aviation ministry official.
The civil aviation ministry's plan, if realised, will put India in the same bracket as Canada and Australia, which have a similar system. The plan has been in the pipeline for several years.
If sources are to be believed, ANS will initially be hived off as a subsidiary of the AAI for a period of three years. The Air Traffic Control, which coordinates the traffic, and the Communication, Navigation and Surveillance wing, which provides infrastructure, will be the main constituents of ANS Corporation, along with support staff from HR and finance.
Aviation ministry insiders say the idea behind the move is to give better air navigation services to airlines. "In many countries, such as Canada and Australia, ANS are provided by a separate organisation, while the airport infrastructure is provided by the airport operator, thereby increasing the focus and efficiency of both institutions," said a senior AAI official.
"Revenue generated by the ANS will help improve the infrastructure of air traffic management, making the skies safer for flying," said a senior civil aviation ministry official.
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