**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the responses by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation to questions raised in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 955, concerning safety audits conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The questions were intended to be answered on February 5, 2026, and cover the period from January 2025 onwards. The response details the number of surveillance activities conducted, identified aircraft defects, steps to address personnel shortages, real-time monitoring enhancements, and plans for airline services from Singrauli Airport.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Surveillance Activities (Year 2025):**
* Planned Surveillance Inspections: 3,890
* Regulatory Audits: 56
* Surveillance of Foreign Aircraft (SOFA): 84
* Ramp Checks: 492
* Unplanned Spot Checks: 874
* Night Surveillance: 550
* **Aircraft Defects:**
* 377 aircraft were identified as having repetitive defects out of 754 aircraft analyzed from various scheduled airlines since January 2025, detailed in Annexure A (data as of February 3, 2026).
* **DGCA Personnel:**
* The number of sanctioned technical posts was increased from 637 in 2022 to 1063 through restructuring, to address personnel shortages.
* **Real-Time Monitoring:**
* DGCA issued Surveillance and Enforcement Division Circular No. 1/2025, dated July 7, 2025, mandating the use of the eGCA Portal for all surveillance activities.
* This circular includes the issuance and closure of Deficiency Reporting Form (CA-2001) and enforcement orders, enabling real-time monitoring and tracking of the surveillance and enforcement process.
* **Singrauli Airport:**
* As per the Winter Schedule 2025, no scheduled domestic airlines have proposed to operate scheduled flights to or from Singrauli Airport.
**Impact Analysis**
**DGCA:**
* **Impact:** DGCA is responsible for implementing and overseeing the safety audits, surveillance activities, and enforcement procedures as outlined in the response. They are impacted by the need to ensure effective monitoring and address personnel shortages.
* **Action Required:** The DGCA needs to adhere to the use of the eGCA Portal and implement real-time monitoring and tracking of the surveillance and enforcement process.
**Airlines:**
* **Impact:** Airlines are impacted by the identification of aircraft with repetitive defects, the need for improved maintenance procedures, and the enforcement actions resulting from surveillance activities.
* **Action Required:** Airlines need to address identified repetitive defects in their aircraft and comply with DGCA's surveillance and enforcement procedures.
**Passengers / Public:**
* **Impact:** Passengers and the public are indirectly impacted by the safety audits and surveillance activities, as these measures aim to ensure aviation safety.
* **Action Required:** No direct action is required from passengers.
Key Entities Referenced
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): The primary regulator responsible for safety audits, ramp inspections, and surveillance checks in the civil aviation sector.
DGCA Surveillance Procedure Manual: Document outlining the detailed surveillance procedures conducted by DGCA.
eGCA Portal: Online portal mandated for all DGCA surveillance activities, issuance, and closure of Deficiency Reporting Forms.
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The ministry overseeing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and its operations.
Singrauli Airport: Location mentioned regarding the potential operation of airline services.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 955
( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 5th February 2026 )
SAFETY AUDITS BY DGCA
955. SHRI DILIP SAIKIA
DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA
SHRI RAMESH AWASTHI
SHRI ALOK SHARMA
DR. RAJESH MISHRA
SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH
SHRI MANOJ TIWARI
DR. HEMANG JOSHI
SHRI ASHOK KUMAR RAWAT
SMT D K ARUNA
SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM
SMT APARAJITA SARANGI
DR. K SUDHAKAR
SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL
SHRI KHAGEN MURMU
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) the number of safety audits, ramp inspections and surveillance checks conducted
by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) since January, 2025 till date and
the procedure for the surveillance checks;
(b) whether any recurring technical or operational faults/deficiencies have been
identified across various airlines and if so, the details thereof along with the number of
the aircrafts in which such faults have been identified, airline-wise;
(c) the steps being taken to address shortages of inspectors, pilots and technical experts
in DGCA;
(d) the measures taken to strengthen real-time monitoring and enforcement
mechanisms; and
(e) whether there is any plan to operate airline services from Singrauli Airport and if
so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)
(a): The detailed surveillance procedures are laid down in the DGCA Surveillance
Procedure Manual, which is available on their website.;Planned Surveillance Activities (Year 2025):
(i) Surveillance Inspections: 3,890 conducted
(ii) Regulatory Audits: 56 conducted
(iii) Surveillance of Foreign Aircraft (SOFA): 84 conducted
(iv) Ramp Checks: 492 conducted
Unplanned Surveillance Activities:
(i) Spot Checks: 874 conducted
(ii) Night Surveillance: 550 conducted
(b): A total of 377 aircraft have been Identified for repetitive defects since Jan 2025
against 754 aircraft from various scheduled airlines. The airline-wise details as on
03.02.2026 is at Annexure A.
(c): In year 2022, DGCA had 637 number of sanctioned technical posts. In order to
address shortage of manpower in future, the restructuring has been done and number
of sanctioned technical posts has been increased to 1063.
(d): DGCA has issued Surveillance and Enforcement Division Circular No. 1/2025
dated 07 July 2025, mandating the use of the eGCA Portal for all surveillance activities,
issuance and closure of Deficiency Reporting Form (CA-2001), and enforcement
orders which enables the monitoring and tracking of the entire surveillance and
enforcement process on real time basis.
(e): As per Winter Schedule 2025, no scheduled domestic airlines has proposed to
operate scheduled flight to/from Singrauli Airport.
******Annexure A
Number of aircraft Number of aircraft
S. No Name of Airline analyzed for identified for
repetitive defect repetitive defect
1. Indigo 405 148
2. Air India 166 137
3. Air India Express 101 54
4. Spicejet 43 16
5. Alliance Air 7 8
6. Akasa Air 32 14
Total 754 377