Even as aviation traffic in Mumbai increases every passing year without a corresponding increase in infrastructure, the Air Traffic Control departments of both domestic and international airports are demanding for more manpower that can help tide over the crisis. The severe dearth of staff has led to overwork and is consequently affecting flight operations. Presently, the Mumbai international airport handles around 700 flights daily.
Both the ATCs cumulatively needs at least 200 more controllers to handle the increased flight operations and officials have now introduced a rotation system for controllers which has led to heavy workload. While the Mumbai ATC has a current strength of 220 operators it needs around 150 to 200 more. The ATC at the domestic airport on the other hand has six controllers and needs around 12 to 15 more. Even as nine more recruits were brought on board the international ATC in February last year, it is still falling massively short of the requisite figure.
“Around 300 new recruits are being trained at the Civil Aviation Training College in Allahabad and we are expecting a sufficient number to be given to us. Currently, we have managed to make do with the existing strength,” said a senior ATC official, refusing to comment further. Officials also said that it takes around two years for a fresh ATC controller to be fully trained about the systems. “There are progressive levels of training when a controller is hired. He first starts with tower training or aerodrome/area control, and then moves on to the n-root phase, lastly beign allocated to the radar control. However, sometimes the experienced ones are transferred after complete training, which creates problems,” said another official. After mastering the third phase, the recruit is given the Radar Control Certification. Officials are also awaiting advanced systems like Surface Movement Radar, which will reduce the mental pressure of keeping tab on ground aircraft movements.