Mangalore, June 21: In a hard rap for Air India (AI), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airports Authority of India (AAI), the ministry of civil aviation on Tuesday released additional recommendations pertaining to the Mangalore air crash which claimed 158 lives on May 22, 2010, directing the three agencies to get their act together to ensure passenger safety.
The additional recommendations include provision for runway end safety area (RESA); not to hasten issuance of FATA (Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorization) licence at airline's insistence; compliance with requirement of frangibly-mounted structures citing that Calicut and Mangalore airport antenna supporting structures were examples.
The ministry recommended AAI should conduct an objective evaluation to ensure required size RESA is provided at each end of a runway at every airport, according to regulations.
The ministry came hard on AAI for not carrying out evaluation of the RFF (Rescue & Fire Fighting) vehicle type acquired for Mangalore airport.
"An efficient aerodrome emergency exercise would have indicated various problems and AAI could have taken suitable action. AAI should ensure such exercises are conducted to establish emergency preparedness including timed response of local fire brigade for emergencies outside the airport boundary,'' it stated.
The new recommendations virtually vindicate the stand taken by 812 Foundation. Yeshwant Shenoy, who filed a private complaint for criminal action against DGCA, AAI and AI, had argued in the court on most of the issues on which recommendations have been made by the ministry.
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