Shortage of Personnel in Air Traffic Control Centres Across India a Major Safety Concern: Report

Stakeholders in India’s aviation industry warn that unless there is immediate and sustained intervention, the ATC personnel shortage could become a major challenge, and a serious safety hazard.

The Wire Staff

Stakeholders in India’s aviation industry warn that unless there is immediate and sustained intervention, the ATC personnel shortage could become a major challenge, and a serious safety hazard.

shortage of personnel in air traffic control centres across india a major safety concern report

For representation. An Air India flight. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: A critical shortage of personnel in Air Traffic Control (ATC) centres across India is posing risks to flight safety, raising serious concerns for the aviation sector, which at present is rapidly growing.

The challenge is expected to intensify with the recent opening of Navi Mumbai International Airport and the imminent launch of Jewar International Airport in Noida, reported New Indian Express.

“The sanctioned strength of ATC officers is 5,337, but there are currently 1,613 vacancies. With new airports coming up and more flights being introduced daily, we need at least 8,000 officers. This severe shortfall is a direct threat to passenger safety and to the wellbeing of existing officers,” reported the newspaper, quoting a source in the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

While ATC operations run 24/7, it was only in 2019 that Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), implemented for ATC personnel.

“Before that, ATCOs were putting in excessively long hours in a role where even a moment’s lapse in attention can have disastrous consequences,” the source added.

The lack of adequate training infrastructure also aggravates the problem, with at present only three ATC training centres operating in the entire country.

The two important divisions of the ATC services are Air Navigation Services and Communication Navigation Services. It is important that both these wings act in close coordination to manage aircraft movements, communication, navigation, and surveillance systems.

“Despite being a government job, the demanding shift work and comparatively lower pay make it less attractive to job seekers. An ATCO may manage 15 to 20 aircraft at once, whereas a pilot is responsible for only one. Yet, a new ATCO earns about Rs 60,000 per month, while a pilot starting their career makes around Rs 2.5 lakh,” another source told the newspaper.

While the AAI has so far declined to issue an official comment, stakeholders in India’s aviation industry warn that in wake of the continuous growth in the sector, unless there is immediate and sustained intervention, the ATC personnel shortage could become a major challenge, and a serious safety hazard.

This article went live on October thirteenth, two thousand twenty five, at seventeen minutes past twelve at noon.

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