In a sweeping surveillance exercise conducted less than two weeks after the June 12 crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has uncovered a range of serious safety and compliance violations across India’s aviation ecosystem.
The regulator’s inspection, carried out by two teams led by the Joint Director General during the night and early morning hours at major airports including Delhi and Mumbai, revealed multiple operational, technical, and safety-related shortcomings involving airlines, airports, aircraft maintenance, and ground handling operations.
DGCA’s surveillance covered critical areas such as flight operations, airworthiness, ramp safety, Air Traffic Control (ATC), Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) systems, and pre-flight medical evaluations.
Among the findings were faded centre line markings on runways, non-unidirectional green centre lights on rapid exit taxiways, and outdated obstruction limitation data, which had not been updated for over three years despite new construction around airport areas.
In aircraft inspections, DGCA noted recurring defects, indicating ineffective maintenance and inadequate rectification. Some aircraft had issues like unserviceable thrust reversers and flap slat levers that were not locked. Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) were found to have skipped safety precautions, failed to attend snag rectification, and neglected to log technical defects.
Life vests were found improperly secured under seats, while corrosion-resistant tape on winglets was damaged. A domestic flight was delayed due to worn-out tyres, and was cleared only after urgent repairs.
Ground equipment also drew scrutiny, with baggage trolleys found unserviceable and tool control procedures disregarded. Several ramp vehicles operated without speed governors, leading to the cancellation of their Airside Vehicle Permits (AVP) and suspension of drivers’ passes.
A simulator used for pilot training was discovered to be out-of-date and mismatched with the aircraft configuration, violating training requirements.
DGCA said it has issued instructions to the concerned entities to rectify the issues within seven days. It has also launched a comprehensive “360-degree” audit framework to replace siloed assessments and ensure systemic safety improvements across the aviation sector.