"ICAO to audit facilities at Indian international airports"

Monday, March 1, 2004

ICAO to audit facilities at international airports
India - The Hindu


The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) will shortly carry
out an audit of the facilities at international airports, the Executive
Director (Air Traffic Management), Airports Authority of India (AAI),
New Delhi, Srikrishan, has said.

He was presiding over a function to present the "All-India Best Fire
Station Runners-up Trophy 2002" and the "Regional-level Runners Up
Trophy 2003" to the authorities of the Mangalore Airport here on Friday.
M.R. Vasudeva, Director of the airport, received the trophies.

Mr. Srikrishan said air traffic was growing at a rapid pace across the
globe. Noting that the present air space was inadequate to handle the
increasing traffic, he said the alternative was to reduce separation
standards between two flying aircraft. This necessarily meant improving
facilities at the ground level as well in the Air Traffic Control
Department. India was a signatory to the Chicago Convention on air
safety, he said and added that the ICAO norms were being tightened to
ensure safer air travel.

The General Manager (Fire Services), AAI, New Delhi, H.S. Rawat, said
the Best Fire Station Trophy had been instituted to enhance the physical
fitness of fire crew, increase their skills, and bring about a change in
their attitude to deal with exigencies. Information from fire services
around the world had been collected for the purpose. Noting that the AAI
intended to integrate training for its international and national
divisions of fire services as per the ICAO norms, Mr. Rawat said the
authority also planned to introduce stringent inspection norms for fire
crew posted at airports, from next year. He advised the crew to learn
how to handle sophisticated fire control equipment. The Principal
General Manager, Dakshina Kannada Telecom, K.J. Chacko, who was the
chief guest, said the authorities of Mangalore Airport should be proud
of their achievements. Mr. Chacko, who released a pamphlet on the
occasion, advised the fire crew to be on the vigil as their response to
any emergency help handle the situation and rescue lives.

The General Manager (Equipment), AAI, S.S. Taj said steps had been taken
to provide state-of-the-art equipment to most of the 128 airports in
India. Disclosing that the AAI had imported 43 crash fire tenders and
positioned them in important stations, he said this was part of the plan
to privatise major airports such as the ones in Delhi and Mumbai.
However, this would not affect the AAI.

M.S. Ananthakrishna, General Manager (Aero), AAI, Chennai, who presented
the regional trophy to Mr. Vasudeva, said it was aimed at motivating the
staff.

Mr. Vasudeva welcomed the gathering. The Assistant General Manager (Fire
Services), AAI, Chennai, Vijayaraghavan, proposed a vote of thanks. The
fire crew gave a demonstration on the occasion. 

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