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Standing panel urges revamp of airlines

Every single day's delay in reforming Air-India is costing the country Rs 10 million.

Concerned about this huge loss, a parliamentary committee has demanded the immediate implementation of the Kelkar Committee Report within this financial year.

The standing committee of Parliament in its latest report on the civil aviation ministry also said the entire package recommended in the Kelkar Committee report for the revival of Indian Airlines should be immediately finalised by the government.

The committee noted that Air-India's estimated losses for 1998-99 were Rs 34.07 billion and said this should be immediately arrested.

The parliamentarians also took note of the delays in the completion of the PW 4056 engine overhaul facility at Santacruz airport in Bombay and the construction of a major maintenance hangar for new Boeing 747-400 aircraft. These must be completed within the revised time- frame, the report said.

The committee also noted with concern the delay in purchase of 50-seater aircraft for Indian Airlines, which the national carrier had been considering for the last two years. These aircraft will enable IA to use smaller airports.

It said that, despite repeated recommendations of the committee, the matter of purchase of 50-seater aircraft was hanging fire.

During this financial year, the matter should be finalised and the required number of aircraft should be bought and put into operation, the committee directed.

The decision of the government to provide Rs 1.25 billion as budgetary support to Indian Airlines during 1998-99 was appreciated by the standing committee.

The committee was of the view that the behaviour of the cabin crew of Indian Airlines was sometimes not up to the mark and did not go well with the passengers patronising the airlines. It recommended suitable modification to be introduced in the curriculum of the cabin crew during training.

UNI