Agartala, The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is to introduce a new radar-based air surveillance system at 14 airports across the country for better control of aircraft in flight, an official said. "The new Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system would facilitate civilian aircraft in self-communicating with airports about their identity, speed and altitude," AAI director Sudhamay Maiti told IANS. "The new system is likely to be commissioned in six to seven of a total of 14 airports across India by the middle of this year and in the remaining airports by this year-end," he added. According to the official, unlike the existing radar-based ground-to-air surveillance system on airports, the comparatively cheaper ADS-B system has three components -- an ADS-B transponder in the aircraft, an antenna to get frequency from the aircraft transponder and a receiver at the Air Traffic Control (ATC). "The new technology enables ATCs at airports to get complete situational awareness of ADS-B compatible aircraft, which could even be 300 miles away," Maiti said. The ADS-B system would cover much wider areas than the present surveillance system. "The existing ...
Read Full Story

Ahmedabad, The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) airport is all set to upgrade it armoury to battle the feathered menace. To eliminate bird-hit problems, the airport has upgraded the 'zone guns' it procured in 2010 for keeping the sky over the runway free of birds. The 'zone guns' create a loud shot-like sound to scare away the birds. The volume of the noise and interval between detonations for the guns can be adjusted. The new guns will have more options with the kind of sounds and its reach. Besides firecrackers, Ahmedabad airport authorities currently use two laser guns costing Rs 1.5 lakh each and seven zone guns, a six-shot launcher and a LPG cylinder-operated device which generates loud noise at regular intervals. It spends Rs 30 lakh annually to check bird hits. "We have been able to bring down the number of bird hits with the use of the guns and regularly cutting grass and keeping the area around the airport clean. However, the incidents haven't stopped and to manage it effectively we will get six new zone guns from Delhi," said airport officials. Officials said many birds are now used to the sound created by the existing guns, but the new ones are ...
Read Full Story

Mumbai, Twelve Indian diamond merchants, who were released after their arrest in China for alleged smuggling two years ago, returned home early Friday, official sources said. They arrived around 2 a.m. and were greeted with hugs by anxious relatives and friends at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Away from their near and dear ones for the past two years, these 12 are amongst the 22 who had been arrested by the Chinese customs at Shenzen in January 2010 for allegedly smuggling diamonds from Hongkong to China. While nine were found guilty of the charges and convicted to serve jail terms by a Chinese court, the remaining 13 were released. The Chinese authorities have appealed against one of the 13 but it would take a few months for the appeal to be disposed of. The remaining 12 were released and allowed to travel to India Thursday. Soon after arrival, relatives of some of the diamond merchants got into arguments and indulged in minor fisticuffs with some mediapersons who had also assembled there. Later, the diamond merchants went to their respective homes, a few in Mumbai and the rest for Surat, the diamond hub in south ...
Read Full Story

New Delhi, Indira Gandhi International Airport –believed to be the busiest airport in the country- witnessed a major fire break-out in the cargo section of the Haj Terminal in the early hours of Thursday morning causing damage to property worth Rs 100 crores. The fire broke out at around 1:15 AM at the Human Resource Department of Celebi, company which carries out ground handling services at the airport, situated on the first floor of the cargo building. Apparently, fire brigade officials were called to carry out the rescue operation after the staff at the site proved helpless to extinguish the flames using ordinary fire fighting measures. The fire was completely snuffed at around 6:30 in the morning and reports suggest that 35 fire tenders were used to control it. Although no casualty was reported in the mishap, the first floor of the building that has, apart from HR department of Celebi, offices of 10 airlines was completely destroyed. Luggage of many passengers too has been ruined in the accident. The cause of the fire is yet unclear but the authorities suspect a short-circuit to be behind the mishap. ...
Read Full Story

Amritsar, January 26 (Doaba News Service)- Perturbed over the lax attitude of the Centre towards the upgradation and expansion of the Rajasansi International Airport at Amritsar and non-implementation of the recommendations made by the high-powered four-member committee of MPs, Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu has said he would raise the matter in the next session of the Lok Sabha. The four-member panel of MPs, headed by Union Minister MS Gill, comprised of Navjot Sidhu, Tarlochan Singh and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. It had made a number of recommendations regarding the upgradation of the airport in April last year. But, according to Sidhu, most of the recommendations were yet to be implemented. “I am not satisfied with the work done so far. I have now resolved to raise the issue in the next session of Parliament and will take up the matter personally with Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel,” said ...
Read Full Story

Jagraon, January 6 (DNS)- It seems that Nitin Garg’s family will have to wait for few more days to see his body for the last time. At present, the Australian government is posing legal glitches to rub salt on the wounds of Nitin’s mother Parveen Garg, who is longing to see her son for the last time. Family members said the Australian court had asked Nitin’s friends to complete formalities, which would delay the process of bringing back the body. Nitin’s elder brother Hanish said the court had demanded a power of attorney from the family members in favour of Amanjeet Singh, who is in Australia and is completing the formalities to bring back Nitin’s body to India. Nitin’s friend Amanjeet Singh Dhillon, a resident of Samrala, who is helping getting the body sent back home, said the authorities concerned had refused to hand over the body to him since he is not in blood relation with Nitin. Thus, Nitin’s mother had today executed the power of attorney in favour of Amanjeet and faxed it to the authorities and sent an e-mail of the scanned copy to them as well. Now, the family is waiting for the authorities to accept the document. The family rued that although the ...
Read Full Story