New Delhi: In a major development on Thursday, the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday said that it has "achieved a milestone by implementing regulations regarding "Watch Duty Time Limitation (WDTL) and rest requirements for Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) engaged in the provision of air traffic services" at 57 airports with effect from September 21 in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations.
With this development, the chances of human error would be minimised and would thus ensure air safety. ATCOs are the key personnel whose commitment towards safe, orderly and efficient flow of air traffic makes travel by air, the safest mode of transportation. "The profession is highly challenging, stressful, induces fatigue due to the nature of work and requires the highest degree of integrity, hard work, conflict resolution abilities and commitment," a statement said.
On account of the concerted efforts by the regulator in close coordination with the stakeholders, the rollout of the regulation marks a significant step towards DGCA's commitment to ensuring the highest level of aviation safety. This is a significant reform in the civil aviation sector and will provide adequate rest to ATCOs while engaging in provision of the air traffic services.
"The maximum permissible duty period and minimum mandatory rest period for ATCOs has been given a shape in the form of regulations. The regulation is modelled on ICAO regulations and is based on our national, social and cultural contexts coupled with a scientifically valid, optimal limit for ATCOs."
"This will ensure our skies become safe and will also take care of the health, physical and psychological requirements of the ATCO thus ensuring the provision of continued, adequate safe air traffic services. With the implementation of these regulations, the aviation sector aspires for safe skies over Indian airspace and safe, orderly and efficient operations at Indian aerodrome," the statement said.
The 57 Air Traffic Control Centres include nine from the northern region (Amritsar, Dehradun, Kishangarh, Shimla, Kanpur, Bhuntar, Gaggal, Pant Nagar, Safdarjung), 15 centres from the southern region (Trichy, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tuticorin, Calicut, Kannur, Kalaburgi, Mysore, Belgaum, Hubli, Vijayawada, YSR Kadapa, Hyderabad-Begumpet, Tirupati, Rajamahendravaram) 12 from the western region (Mopa Goa, Indore, Surat, Bhopal, Udaipur, Vadodara, Aurangabad, Hirasar, Jabalpur, Shridi, Kohlapur, Juhu) 11 centres from eastern region (Bhubaneshwar, Patna, Ranchi, Durgapur, Gaya, Jhasarguda, Deogar, Jagdalpur, Raipur, Khajuraho, Kushinagar) and 10 from northeast region (Barapani, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Lengpui, Lilabari, Rupsi, Imphal, Agartala, Hollongi, Tezu). The rollout of the regulations at remaining airports would happen in a phased manner as per the roadmap indicated by the Airport Authority of India (AAI).
