KTR Criticises Aviation Chaos, Citing Centralisation of Power
Instead of enforcing its own instructions, the Centre rolled back the directives within days, says KTR
Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday alleged that the chaos at Indian airports is a direct result of economic and regulatory power being concentrated among a few major players in the aviation sector.
Speaking at a Trade Unions Round Table in Hyderabad, KTR said the Union government had earlier directed airlines not to overburden pilots, but carriers failed to create alternative operational systems. He claimed this negligence led to large-scale disruption in IndiGo’s flight operations.
According to KTR, instead of enforcing its own instructions, the Centre rolled back the directives within days. He noted that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had laid down conditions on pilot deployment as early as a year ago but lacked effective enforcement mechanisms.
He raised concerns over a growing duopoly in Indian aviation, stating that most domestic airlines are now effectively controlled by just two entities — the Tata Group and IndiGo. Such concentration of wealth and control, he warned, makes the sector vulnerable to repeated crises.
KTR said the government’s emphasis on Ease of Doing Business should go hand in hand with quality regulation and fair practices. Without this balance, he added, both passengers and aviation workers will continue to bear the brunt of systemic failures.
