The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is ramping up surveillance of all aviation entities with comprehensive special audits.

Over the past few days, DGCA officials have carried out inspections at Delhi and Mumbai airports, auditing airlines, ground handling companies, air traffic control units and maintenance, repair overhaul units. 

Certain safety violations and lapses have been identified and action is being taken, an official said. In one instance, an airline was asked to cancel a domestic flight over a safety issue.

Until now, the civil aviation regulator has been carrying out planned inspections as part of its annual surveillance programme. Spot checks are also carried out. However, currently, all checks are carried out by a team tasked with a specific function — airworthiness, cabin safety, etc. There had been no multi-disciplinary approach so far, but the DGCA has changed its approach.

Systemic review

“In a significant paradigm shift, the comprehensive special audit is designed to transcend existing siloed assessments by evaluating the aviation ecosystem holistically. These special audits will focus on examining safety management systems, operational practices and regulatory adherence across all aviation domains. The goal is to generate a 360-degree evaluation of the aviation ecosystem reflecting both its strengths and areas of improvement. These special audits will be over and above regulatory audits carried out as per the annual surveillance programme,” Director General of Civil Aviation Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said in a general safety circular.

The special audits are being planned in the backdrop of the June 12 Ahmedabad air crash. Over 250 people, including passengers, crew and occupants of a hospital mess, lost their lives in the accident.

The special audits are being led by officials at the Joint Director General level and include an element of surprise. Presence of senior officials and a multi-disciplinary approach will also make rule implementation more effective, the official added.

Special audits may be initiated based on mandatory triggers such as critical safety events, persistent regulatory non-compliance, safety audit findings or operational disruptions, Kidwai said.

The findings will be categorised into three categories: Immediate corrective action (level 1), short-term corrective action (level 2) and long-term corrective action requiring resolution in 7-90 days.

Audited entities will be required to submit a corrective action plan within 15 days of receiving the final report and DGCA will review its implementation. “Best practices will be shared across the industry and exemplary efforts will be recognised to encourage a culture of continuous improvement,” Kidwai said in the circular.

Published on June 22, 2025