India's civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has ordered the closure of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport in Nanded following the discovery of significant safety deficiencies. According to multiple officials, the DGCA found four serious issues at the airport, which led to the shutdown. These included major potholes on the runway, a lack of power backup, and insufficient fire tenders.
The DGCA classifies safety-related audit findings into two types: Level 1 (L1) and Level 2 (L2).
Level 1 (L1) violations are considered to be serious, classified as direct safety hazards that require immediate action from the airline. In contrast, Level 2 (L2) violations are procedural or administrative oversights. While they don't pose an immediate danger, they still need to be corrected.
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The airport, managed by Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC), typically operates for seven hours a day. Star Air is its sole airline, running ten daily flights. The DGCA also noted that the airport was using the less accurate Doppler VOR navigation system instead of a more modern, satellite-based one. MADC has yet to comment on the matter.
The closure has created immediate problems for Star Air and its passengers. The airline typically carries around 5,000 travellers weekly, but it has extensive advance bookings, with roughly 180,000 pilgrims scheduled to travel to and from Nanded. As a significant pilgrimage destination for the Sikh community, the city attracts many visitors, especially from Punjab. Star Air officials have met with ministry representatives to discuss the fallout, and travel disruptions are expected to continue for at least a week.
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