New Delhi, 28 July

Aviation regulator DGCA has initiated enforcement action against Air India after finding that the inspection of emergency slide was overdue in an aircraft, Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol said on Monday.

In a written reply, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that during the audit of Air India, DGCA found that the inspection of emergency slide was overdue.

"DGCA immediately grounded the aircraft till the required rectification was carried out. DGCA has initiated enforcement action against Air India and the responsible personnel as per Enforcement Policy and Procedure Manual of DGCA," he told the Rajya Sabha.

Specific details, such as when the audit was conducted and when the enforcement action was initiated, were not disclosed.

The minister's response was to DMK member Tiruchi Siva's query on whether the government is aware that aircraft operated by Air India, in weeks preceding the crash of flight AI 171 in June, were allowed to fly with overdue emergency slide inspections, in violation of mandatory safety norms. The member also wanted to know whether accountability has been fixed on DGCA for regulatory oversight failure.

In recent times, Air India has come under the scanner of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for various lapses.

On 12 June, Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating the flight AI171 enroute to London Gatwick crashed into a building soon after take off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.

Mohol said DGCA ensures the compliance by airlines with all safety and maintenance standards through the mechanism of conducting surveillance, spot check and night surveillance, among others, of airlines and its personnel.

"In case of violation, DGCA takes enforcement action in accordance with procedures prescribed in Enforcement Policy and Procedure Manual.

"The enforcement action consists of warning, suspension, cancellation including imposition of financial penalty to the airlines/ personnel. DGCA officials are well trained to perform the oversight and enforcement function," the minister said.