DGCA closes Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport in Nanded after safety breaches are flagged out by the department. The shutdown follows the CAA ranking four serious infractions at the airport as Level 1 (L1) safety risks, the highest category, stating that action is needed to rectify the situation immediately.
The issues highlighted by the DGCA included a large number of potholes in the runway, failure to provide power backup, inadequate numbers of fire tenders, and the operations in use of Doppler VOR systems, rather than the more accurate navigational system based on satellites. L1 violations have been thought of as directly threatening flight safety, whereas Level 2 (L2) violations normally involve procedural or administrative lapses, which are alarming but not hazardous.
Nanded airport has been working around seven hours per day, and the flights are provided by a single airliner, namely Star Air, which operates a total of ten flights between Star and the city. The closure can be of great consequence, considering the intense flow of pilgrims to Nanded. Airbo boasts of about 5,000 passengers per week, with booking reservations being as high as 180,000 during the peak periods.
The representatives of Star Air senior management met the representatives of the ministry on Friday to discuss the consequences of its closure. Based on the sources, the airline pointed out the impact it could have on both passengers and its operational and financial imminent challenges due to the shutdown. The flights will probably go out of operation for at least a week as the airport implements corrective measures for the problem.
The Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC), which administers the facility, has yet to make a comment on the closure. Officials have been liaising with line leaders to ensure that all the safety measures are attained prior to the flights, and this has highlighted the concern that passenger safety and that they operate according to the required standards.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News