ATC shortfall 50% in India

Mumbai: The number of ATCs in India is grossly inadequate with their shortfall being as high as 50% in managing aviation movement in India in its key airports as presently there are about 1000 ATCs in India and over 100 of them guide 400 to 500 planes over Mumbai and Delhi every day, according to The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The ATCs ideal requirement is estimated at over 1500 in numbers.
Releasing them here today, the ASSOCHAM President, Venugopal N. Dhoot said that at key airports in India, ATCs guide planes through 12 major routes and 2-3 other routes. This is as against the international norm of one radar controller for every route (one for arrival and departure each), a single ATC attends to both arrival and departure in India, pointed out Dhoot.
The situation of shortfall and shortages in the technical personnel has so far been partially addressed with the entry of many private training schools in the country. Also efforts made by government to train more personnel per school, both in the government and private institutions for civil aviation have not yet yielded desired results.
The ASSOCHAM Chief citing its findings warned that this situation is bound to worsen with the projected doubling of traffic in next 4-5 years, especially with heavy concentration in the metros.
Dhoot said that since aviation sector faces shortages of ATCs in massive numbers, it becomes very difficult to manage air traffic movements as pilots receives signals from them. If we have adequate number of ATCs, pilots can be guided and attended by them in a proper manner with appraisals and briefs of air congestions.
The Chamber has therefore, suggested that shortages of ATCs, pilots and other technical personnel need to be attended on priorities and their training should be effected with setting up of institutes of excellence as the civil aviation sector has been growing at an unprecedented growth rate of over 30-35%.
03/12/07 India Infoline.com