India’s Project ISHAN: ‘One nation, One Airspace’

India’s Project ISHAN: ‘One nation, One Airspace’

04-05-2024

Project Indian Single Sky Harmonized Air Traffic Management (ISHAN) is a major initiative launched by the Government of India to integrate the country's 4 airspace zones into a single.

  1. The project aims to streamline air traffic management and increase efficiency of the aviation sector.

Key Components of Project ISHAN:

  1. The ISHAN initiative is aimed at streamlining and modernising air traffic management in India.
  2. The project involves consolidating the 4 existing Flight Information Regions (FIRs) in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai into a single, continuous airspace headquartered in Nagpur.
  3. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is responsible for managing the project and has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) for the preparation of a detailed project report.

Current Airspace Arrangements in India:

  1. At present, Indian airspace is divided into 4 separate Flight Information Regions (FIRs) in Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, and Chennai, along with a sub-FIR in Guwahati.
  2. These FIRs are managed independently, which can lead to inefficiencies and congestion.

Significance of Project ISHAN:

  1. Project ISHAN is expected to streamline operations, increase capacity, and reduce congestion in Indian airspace.
  2. This will benefit airlines and passengers by reducing flight delays and improving overall travel experience.

Key Facts about the Airports Authority of India (AAI):

  1. AAI is a statutory body under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
  2. AAI is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining, and managing civil aviation infrastructure in India, both on the ground and in the airspace.
  3. AAI also provides Air Traffic Management Services (ATMS) over the entire Indian Air Space and adjoining oceanic areas.

Must Check: Best IAS Coaching In Delhi