Aviation Minister Naidu Says ATC Officers' Mental and Physical Fitness Must Be Ensured
Why It MattersRising aircraft numbers and new airports are widening the safety burden on India's controller workforce, putting its health and fitness standards under closer scrutiny.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said it is imperative to ensure the mental and physical fitness of air traffic control officers. He made the remarks in an address delivered by video conference from Delhi to a function held opposite Chennai Airport to mark Air Traffic Control Day.
Naidu said Indian air traffic controllers handle about 2.8 million square nautical miles of airspace, roughly three times the area of the country. He said the physical and mental health of controllers is assessed daily and at regular intervals, and that they must be fit to perform their duties safely whenever called upon.
Air traffic control has completed 104 years since its inception internationally, while the ATC that began at Chennai Airport in 1932 has completed 94 years. It was started internationally on October 20, and the day is observed as World Air Traffic Controller Day. Controllers are responsible for flight safety and for ensuring flights run on time without delays. They work round the clock at air traffic control centers, and their tasks span ground level to airspace movements up to approximately 46,000 feet. With aircraft numbers rising across India, new airports being developed and more passengers choosing air travel, their responsibilities have increased multifold.
