Question : Accidents-Near Miss Collisions of Aircraft

(a) whether the Government proposes to divide Indian Air space into two parts with a view to check the rising incidents of collision/mid-air misses of aircraft in the country and in view of safety of air passengers;

(b) if so, the details of such incidents reported during the last three years and the current year and the steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent/reduce the number of such air incidents;

(c) whether the Government is aware that recently, a number of flights have narrowly escaped accidents and if so, the details thereof:

(d) whether any investigation has been done in such incidents by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to prevent/minimise such incidents/accidents in future?

The Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Jayant Sinha)

(a) Airspace reorganization is a continuous process, driven by changes in aviation environment, especially significant increase in traffic volume. AAI has started implementing a project for harmonizing upper airspace of the four flight information regions (FIR), where airspace above 25000 feet above sea level will be controlled from ATC centres located at the four metro cities. Upper Airspace Harmonization of Chennai and Kolkata FIRs have been completed and the remaining two FIRs of Delhi and Mumbai will be taken up in near future. Increase in safety levels is one of the objectives of any airspace organization process. Such reorganization may be initiated by AAI when increase in aircraft incidents is reported in any particular airspace.;

(b) During the last three years and the current year number of air prox incidents reported are as under:;
Year No. of Air Miss % of Total Flights;
2015 25 0.001175;
2016 32 0.00131;
2017 28 0.001041;
2018 26 0.001863;
(till 30 June);

(c) & (d) All the occurrences classified as Serious Incident or Accident as per Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents & Incidents) Rules 2017 are Investigated by AAIB and other incidents are investigated by DGCA. ;

(e) The following steps have been taken by the Government to prevent/minimise such incidents /accidents in future:-
- ATCO''s and Pilot proficiency checks are being carried out regularly.
- ATC services are being modernized to include conflict warning in the system to assist ATCO''s.
- Coordination procedures of handing over from one unit to another have been laid out.
Coordination of handing over traffic to adjoining FIR has been worked out & any deviation is being pointed out to the concerned units for taking corrective action.
- Whenever required, corrective training is given to Pilots and Air Traffic Controller and training procedures amended.
- Controllers are given training on ATC simulator at major stations and sensitized on the subject.
- Implementation of Safety Management System at airports to mitigate the risk of accident/ incident.
- Implementation of flexible use of airspace which will reduce traffic congestion in the airspace.
- Airlines have been directed to avoid use of similar / confusing call signs.
- One separate Directorate of Air Space and Air traffic Management has been created in DGCA for better surveillance and regulatory functions in Air traffic Management (ATM).
- Case studies of Airprox /ATC incidents are discussed and analysed to avoid recurrence of such incidents.
- AAI had issued an Air traffic management circular on confusing call-signs, which is now incorporated in the ATS Manual Part-1 2015 4th Edition.