Issues flagged by DGCA were addressed, refrain from making speculation: Aviation minister

New Delhi: All issues such as excessive rubber deposits, water stagnation and cracks that were red-flagged by aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the past were "addressed and rectified" by the Kozhikode airport operator, said Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday.

The minister's statement came after various news reports stated that DGCA had issued a show cause notice to the director of the Kozhikode airport on July 11 last year after it found "various critical safety lapses" in different places, including the runway and the apron.

"It is indeed a fact that several issues were routinely red-flagged by DGCA, and were addressed by the (Kozhikode) airport operator. These pertain to excessive rubber deposits, water stagnation, cracks and other routine issues," Puri tweeted a day after the plane crash in Kozhikode that claimed at least 18 lives.

The point is that raising such concerns is the normal work of the DGCA, he noted.

"The DGCA also strictly ensures that these are complied with and rectified under all circumstances. This was done by the airport operator," the minister added.

Puri said an enquiry has been ordered under the Aircraft Act in case of the Kozhikode accident and findings of the investigation will be made public.

"I will encourage all to exercise patience and refrain from making speculative observations bordering on the irresponsible. Again to emphasize, all the issues were addressed and rectified," the minister said.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri enquires during his visit to the crash site of an Air India Express flight, en route from Dubai, after it skidded off the runway while landing, at Karipur in Kozhikode. (PTI Photo)

The Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people on board overshot the runway at the Kozhikode airport in Kerala at 7:40pm on Friday in rainy conditions and went down 35 feet into a slope before breaking up into two, killing at least 18 people.

Puri reached Kozhikode on Saturday afternoon to take stock of the relief measures. He went to the accident site at the airport, before visiting the Kozhikode Medical College, where senior doctors briefed him and Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan about the condition of the injured people admitted for treatment.

(With inputs from PTI)

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