Parliament Question: Adequacy of infrastructure, personnel and training for anti-fog aviation technology

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 173 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2nd February 2026 ADEQUACY OF INFRASTRUCTURE, PERSONNEL AND TRAINING FOR ANTI-FOG AVIATION TECHNOLOGY 173. SHRI S NIRANJAN REDDY Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether Government has assessed the adequacy of anti-fog aviation infrastructure, including CAT IIIB Instrument Landing Systems, runway lighting, and low-visibility ground movement aids, at fog- prone airports such as Delhi; (b) whether sufficient numbers of aircraft operating at these airports are equipped and certified for CAT IIIB operations, and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether there is an adequate availability of trained and certified pilots, air traffic controllers and ground handling staff to operate and manage anti-fog systems during prolonged low-visibility conditions; and (d) the steps being taken by Government to ensure uninterrupted flight operations during the fog season? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a): When the visibility drops below 800m or Runway Visual Range (RVR) drops below 550m, the CAT II/CAT Ill operations are commenced at the airports as per applicable standards. Presently, more than sixty operational airports in the country are equipped with Instrument Landing System (ILS). Among these, six airports namely, Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Amritsar, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, have one or more runways certified by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for CAT III operations. (b): As per the guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), aircraft deployed by airlines for CAT II/III operations are required to be equipped with certified autoland capability with required redundancy, have current maintenance status and serviceability records, and be fitted with required equipment including dual autopilots and fail-operational systems. (c): As per the information received from airlines, the adequate number of pilots trained for CAT II/III operations are available as per the requirement. The deployment of Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) is undertaken by Airports Authority of India based on the DGCA - Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on Watch Duty Time Limitations (WDTL) which is as per international norms and also as per air traffic volume at airports so as to ensure safe and efficient air traffic management. In accordance with the Ground Handling Services Regulations of 2018, all domestic scheduled airline operators are authorized to undertake ground handling activities through self-handling or by engaging third-party agencies. The responsibility for deploying adequate and trained personnel to perform ground handling services rests with the respective agency.(d): DGCA has issued General Safety Circular No. 03/2025, titled "A Comprehensive Framework for Fog Preparedness, All-Weather Operations and Passenger Facilitation." Before the onset of fog every year, the DGCA convenes meetings with aviation stakeholders such as airline operators, aerodrome operators, and other Government organisations, including the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and the Indian Air Force (IAF), to review preparedness for the conduct of low-visibility operations. The DGCA also issues guidelines to ensure safe and smooth operations during the winter season. ******