Civil aviation ministry issues notification to air-operators

NEW DELHI: The government on Friday said it can requisition aircraft from any aircraft operator and press it into service in the interest of public safety. The move is aimed at averting any delay in the movement of security personnel in an emergency situation such as Mumbai terror strike. The earlier policy allowed the government to requisition airplanes belonging to private air-operators only in case of war.

As per the notification, any officer in the aviation and home ministries in the rank of joint secretary and above would be authorised to requisition the airplane owned or operated by any airline company.

"The aircraft operator will be required to provide the aircraft with crew, maintenance personnel and all materials that will be necessary for the operation of an aircraft for the purpose of public service," a civil aviation ministry statement said.

While seizing the aircraft the authorised government official would take into account the place the airplane is available and where it has to delivered. The central government will pay the compensation to the airline company or aircraft operator as determined in the Aircraft Act, 1934.

The government communique coincides with the on-going tension between India and Pakistan following Mumbai terror attack in November last year.

"The move has to do nothing with the tension between India and Pakistan. The decision has rather been taken to tackle an emergency situation like Mumbai terror attack. It is basically to ensure timely movement of security personnel to handle crises and public safety," an official in the ministry of civil aviation said.

It is alleged that National Security Guard (NSG) commandos reached Mumbai about nine hours late due to unavailability of required aircraft for carrying out an operation to kill or flush out terrorists from various buildings.