India Proposes Independent Aviation Safety Board for Improved Flight Oversight, ET LegalWorld
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In a step towards reforming India's aviation oversight, the government is actively considering the creation of an independent Aviation Safety Board , modeled on the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The proposal gains urgency following the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad last month, which claimed over 260 lives and triggered a wave of scrutiny over regulatory lapses and safety enforcement.The proposed board will operate autonomously, with a mandate to investigate aviation accidents and systemically monitor safety compliance across the sector — including oversight of statutory bodies like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).Currently, aviation accident probes are conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, a structure many critics say lacks institutional independence. Senior officials in the ministry and regular tory agencies have confirmed that the idea of a fully independent board is under "serious discussion," though a final greenlight is still pending.'There is growing recognition that India needs an empowered body to examine aviation incidents without any perceived conflict of interest,' said a senior official involved in the discussions.Separately, a parliamentary panel has called a high-level review of India's civil aviation safety next week, where top representatives from Air India, IndiGo, airport operators, and air traffic controllers will gather for brainstorming on aviation security. The panel is expected to probe both the crash and long-standing safety concerns that have plagued Indian aviation apart from discussing creation of an aviation safety board.The AAIB, along with U.S. investigators, has now recovered and decoded the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, providing a clearer picture of the aircraft's final moments. A full technical report is expected within weeks.In parallel, the government has also initiated an inspection of all 34 Boeing 787 aircraft in Indian fleets, and ordered audits of pilot training and maintenance records across airlines.If the proposed Aviation Safety Board is established, it would mark a historic shift in India's approach to aviation safety — aligning it with global best practices seen in the U.S., Canada, and the EU, where independent boards investigate crashes free from regulatory interference.Sources say the board would need legislative backing and may involve redefining roles of AAIB and DGCA, which currently report to the same ministry that oversees airline operations — a clear conflict of interest in the eyes of many experts.
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