Ahmedabad crash spotlights parliamentary report on gaps in aviation safety funding

The recent tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, which claimed over 270 lives, has reignited concern over systemic gaps in India's aviation safety infrastructure. A report by the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture, submitted on March 25, 2025, had already raised red flags about inadequate funding and staffing in critical aviation agencies, concerns that now appear alarmingly prescient.

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The committee strongly criticized the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s budget allocations for 2025-26, especially the disproportionate funding for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). While the DGCA received Rs 30 crore, the AAIB and BCAS were granted only Rs 20 crore and Rs 15 crore respectively, figures the panel deemed grossly insufficient in view of India’s expanding aviation sector.

The AAIB, now tasked with investigating the Ahmedabad crash, has limited resources despite the complexity and urgency such inquiries demand. The report highlighted that as the number of Indian airports nearly doubled, from 74 in 2014 to 147 by 2022, funding for safety and investigation did not grow proportionately. With projections to reach 220 airports soon, the panel urged immediate corrective steps.

Additionally, the committee revealed serious staffing shortages: over half of DGCA posts remain vacant, along with 35% in BCAS and 17% in AAI. These gaps, according to the panel, directly undermine operational safety and regulatory efficiency.