Baramati plane crash: Probe being conducted on timeline-based approach: Union Minister
Hyderabad (PTI): Asserting that the government has zero tolerance for air safety issues, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu on Thursday said the investigation into the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others would follow a time-bound approach.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Wings India 2026, he said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had arrived at the site, and the Black Box of the ill-fated aircraft had been recovered.
Pawar and four others on board a chartered aircraft were killed after it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of a tabletop runway at Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday.
"The Black Box has been recovered, and the investigation is in process. This time, we will follow a strict timeline approach to ensure the report is completed expeditiously," Naidu said.
Responding to a query about the absence of firefighting personnel during the incident, the minister said the airstrip is used primarily by flying training organisations.
He added that all facilities required for a Flying Training Organisation (FTO) were in place, and that the airstrip operates under a Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP), not for commercial aviation.
"When we license an NSOP strip to operate as a commercial airport, certain requirements must be met, which we ensure. But this facility has been used by NSOPs, particularly for flying training organisations," he said.
Naidu added that India is considered one of the safest countries in terms of aviation safety protocols.
He said the Maharashtra government had written to the Centre regarding the investigation, and the Civil Aviation Ministry had responded, confirming that the probe was underway.
He also noted that Flight Time Limitations (FTL) are already being implemented.
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Karnataka Minister Reddy, Mohandas Pai spat over public transport
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has defended the state-run public transport system and the government's 'Shakti' scheme amid a social media spat with IT industry veteran T V Mohandas Pai over the role of private operators, asserting that public transport is a right, not a luxury.
The sharp exchange began after former Chief Finance Officer of Infosys, Pai, alleged a shortage of buses and lack of public transport, while urging the minister to allow private buses to provide service.
"All we have got is shortage of buses and lack of public transport for last 3 years. (Earlier too) Please allow private buses to provide service," Pai alleged in a post on 'X' late on Thursday.
The IT industry veteran accused Reddy of having thoroughly failed to ensure adequate public transport because of his "dogmatic attitude" saying only PSY works.
"Why? People need public transport irrespective of who provides it," he said, tagging Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in his post.
Reacting to criticism, Reddy defended the state-run transport corporations and challenged Pai to a public debate.
"Mr. @TVMohandasPai, Our BMTC MD is enough to handle a face-to-face debate with you on any platform. Kindly come and discuss the facts with them directly. Are you ready to step up, or will you just keep tweeting?," he said in a post on 'X'.
The transport minister said that Pai's view is not just "biased, it is fundamentally dogmatic," arguing that, "You (Pai) look at a public service and see a balance sheet; I look at it and see 1.5 crore citizens."
Highlighting the state government's Shakti scheme, the minister claimed that, "We have crossed 650 crore+ free trips for women. This isn't just a "scheme"; it is the greatest mobility-led economic empowerment in India's history."
"The "Social Service" Balance: Unlike private players, we don't cherry-pick. 30 per cent of our routes operate at a loss to ensure a student and rural citizens in a remote village has a bus. 30 per cent operate at break-even. 40 per cent (long-distance) generate the profit that sustains the rest. 98 per cent of villages have bus connectivity across state. This is how you serve a society, not a board of directors," he added.
Reddy pointed out that Karnataka operates 26,054 buses; in Bengaluru alone, nearly 45 lakh commuters are served daily.
"With a fleet of 7,108 buses--including 1,686 electric buses--we cover over 13 lakh km and 66,000 trips every day, the highest in India. Show me a single BJP-ruled city or state, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat, that matches this scale and efficiency," he said.
According to him, in just the last two years, 5,800 plus new buses have been inducted and by March 2026, another 2,000 plus buses will be on the roads.
"During the BJP tenure (2019-2023), when bus inductions were frozen and corporations were left to rot, why didn't you raise a single question? Why does your "corporate concern" only wake up when a pro-people government is performing," he alleged.
Reddy further claimed that private operators shut down the moment profits dip. How would that help a common man in Bengaluru who earns a daily wage?
"A private monopoly would be a crushing burden on the poor. Public transport is a right, not a luxury. Our PSUs are here to stay, to serve, and to lead Karnataka," he added.
