AAI's Electronics Engineers Body Raises Concern Over Proposed Privatisation Of ATC Services

ATSEPA, an electronic engineers' body at Airports Authority of India (AAI), has raised concerns over the proposed privatisation of air traffic control services, saying that shifting control away from the Authority without establishing an autonomous regulatory entity could be perceived as a policy decision that weakens India's national strategic capabilities.

In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on April 23, Air Traffic Safety Electronic Personnel Association (India) General Secretary YP Gautam said the matter warrants urgent reconsideration at the highest policy level.

"The proposal to introduce private participation in Air Traffic Control services, without first operationalising an independent Air Navigation Services (ANS) structure, is viewed with grave concern," he said.

Stating that the matter is not exploratory, he said the carving out of ANS (ATC + CNS) from AAI has already been "deliberated, accepted in principle, and partially implemented" during the tenure of (late AAI Chairman) Guru Prasad Mohapatra.

Alleging that the rollback of that framework has resulted in the present structural inconsistency, he said, "Proceeding with privatisation in the absence of an autonomous ANS entity will be perceived as a policy decision that weakens an existing national capability rather than strengthening it".

Creating a system where ANS remains a dependent internal unit while competing with private entities will be seen as institutional disadvantage by design, the association said.

Fragmentation of ATC services in a safety-critical domain raises serious questions of accountability, uniformity, and operational integrity, it added.

The association also warned that "ignoring an already available, trained, and proven ANS workforce in favour of external providers risks avoidable dilution of sovereign expertise".

Seeking immediate operationalisation of ANS as an independent entity with full functional, financial, and administrative autonomy, prior to going ahead with the privatisation, ATSEPA said the entity should be enabled to provide ATC and CNS services to all airports on a non-discriminatory and competitive basis.

"The role of AAI should be clearly redefined to avoid overlap and conflict of interest. It is necessary to state that any move to proceed otherwise will be viewed as structurally flawed and institutionally detrimental, and is unlikely to find acceptance among the professional community entrusted with maintaining the safety and efficiency of India's airspace " it said.