Thursday, June 22 2006 17:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In view of the opening up of the civil aviation sector, the Government today (June 22, 2006) approved proposals to amend the Aircraft Act of 1934 to enable the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to exercise greater control over key issues like air traffic management and operation of foreign registered planes in Indian skies.

The Union Cabinet decided to finalise the legislation in consultation with the legislative department before moving it in Parliament, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet.

Through the proposed amendment, the DGCA would acquire powers to exercise supervisory control on standards of airports, communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS), and air traffic management (ATM) facilities.

The DGCA's powers would be enlarged to cover regulation of air transport services, prohibition of flights over specified areas, ban on slaughtering and flaying of animals within a 10-km radius of airports and safety oversight functions.

The decision to amend the 72-year-old law was taken in view of major developments in aviation and the switch over of CNS and ATM facilities from ground-based to satellite-based technology. In the recent past, a need was also felt to lay down proper safeguards to ensure aviation security.

To cover these security issues, the government needed to exercise supervisory control on technical standards of airports as well as their CNS and ATM facilities.

It also required powers to grant licenses to air traffic control personnel, in line with those granted to pilots by the DGCA, to maintain standards and level of proficiency.