Dr. Ashok Mittal Urges Aviation Safety Review in Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal Raises Aviation Safety Norms and Demands Feasibility Report From the Government On The First Day of Monsoon Session
July 23, 2025 , New Delhi: On the opening day of the Monsoon Session, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) and Founder-Chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU), Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal, raised the issue of civil aviation safety norms in India in the wake of the AI-171 plane crash that happened on June 12 that killed 260 people. (He asked a supplementary question to the first starred question in the Upper House).
Dr. Mittal highlighted a recent incident involving IndiGo flight 6E-2482, an Airbus A320-271 operating on the Delhi–Patna route. During its night landing at Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna, the aircraft touched down just ahead of the designated touchdown point and had to abort the landing mid-way due to overshooting, before making a second successful attempt.
Citing this incident, Dr. Mittal pointed out the critical limitations of the Patna airport’s runway, which is currently only 1,617 meters long—insufficient for both wide-body aircraft like Boeing 777s and 787s, as well as narrow-body jets such as the A320 and B737, which typically require runway lengths between 2,500 to 3,500 meters.
He questioned the Ministry of Civil Aviation on whether a feasibility study is being conducted to enhance the airport’s infrastructure. He further questioned Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on what steps the Government was taking to ensure the safety of landings for larger aircrafts.
Responding to the concerns, the Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation acknowledged the gravity of the issue and stated that due to existing land constraints—such as proximity to a clock tower and railway station—future solutions may involve proposals for a new airport altogether.
During the discussion on the Bills of Lading, Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Mittal stressed the need for strong measures to protect small business from fraud, highlighting provisions like Section 4 which could legitimize commercial fraud by recognizing goods as shipped even if they are not. He urged the government to adopt digital frameworks, similar to the UK’s Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023, to enhance efficiency, transparency for small exporters and importers.