The tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has brought attention to a parliamentary committee report presented in March, which highlighted gaps in the funding for accident investigations and aviation security.
As the third largest aviation market globally, the report stated that the budget of 35 crore rupees for safety infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities is inadequate.
Insufficient Funds for AAIB and BCAS Highlighted
The Standing Committee on Tourism, Transport, and Culture, which presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025, pointed out the inconsistent budget allocations to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
According to the report, 30 crore rupees were allocated to the DGCA for the financial year 2025-26, while AAIB and BCAS received only 20 crore and 15 crore rupees, respectively.
Details of the Air India Plane Accident
The AAIB is investigating the Ahmedabad incident, where an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for London, crashed into a medical college campus and caught fire. Among the 242 passengers and crew aboard flight AI 171, only one survived, while 29 more people on the ground, including five MBBS students, perished.
The committee identified a need for increased funding to AAIB and BCAS considering the surge in the number of airports and passengers in India. The report noted a clear imbalance in capital expenditure fund allocations among major aviation bodies for the 2025-26 budget estimates.
The report stressed that the amount allocated to DGCA, which holds the largest share of 30 crore rupees, should be carefully scrutinized to ensure 'efficiency and accountability.' The DGCA is tasked with regulatory oversight to ensure airlines comply with aviation standards.
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Regulatory compliance is crucial, but the rapid infrastructure expansion from 74 airports in 2014 to 147 in 2022, with the target of 220 airports by 2024-25, necessitates a proportional increase in safety capacities and accident investigation resources.
It is essential to assess if these funds are sufficient to bolster safety frameworks and enhance investigation capabilities. As aviation expands into secondary and tertiary cities under the revised flight plan, safety frameworks and capacities must be proportionally enhanced.
Key Bodies Face Staffing Shortages
The panel expressed serious concerns about limited staffing at DGCA, BCAS, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
According to the 375th report on the Civil Aviation Ministry's grant demands (2025-26), over 53% of positions are vacant at DGCA, affecting BCAS with a 35% vacancy and AAI with a 17% staffing shortfall, which manages airport infrastructure.