Flights veering off runway: DGCA grounds 12 pilots
New Delhi: Aviation regulator DGCA has grounded 12 pilots and served show-cause notices on them after the six recent cases of aircraft veering off runway or taxiway, a senior official said Thursday.
SpiceJet, Air India Express and GoAir have been involved in three, two and one such incidents, respectively, in the past few days, prompting the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to take action against the 12 pilots.
The action come even as the main runway at Mumbai airport remained shut after a SpiceJet plane from Jaipur veered off it while landing amidst heavy rains on Monday night and got stuck in the adjacent grass area.
On June 30, another SpiceJet plane from Bhopal veered off the runway at Surat airport due to heavy rainfall and wind.
A SpiceJet spokesperson told PTI that the "pilots involved in both incidents -- which happened in Mumbai and Surat -- have been suspended as per the directions of the DGCA".
On July 2, another SpiceJet plane veered off its path on the runway while landing at Kolkata airport, damaging four lights. On the same day, an Air India Express flight coming from Dammam had a tail strike while landing at Calicut airport.
Another Air India Express flight veered off the taxiway after landing and got stuck in soft ground at the Mangalore airport on June 30. On the same day, a GoAir flight coming from Bengaluru had a tail strike while landing at Ranchi airport.
The reaction of Air India Express and GoAir to the DGCA action is awaited.
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Steel mirrors deployed in Mysuru to discourage public urination
Mysuru (PTI): Fed up with people relieving themselves along roadsides, the Mysuru City Corporation has adopted a unique strategy to curb the practice and promote civic sense by installing reflective steel mirrors along pavements, officials said on Friday.
In what officials described as a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Corporation installed stainless steel sheets with a mirror finish along an 80-metre stretch opposite the Mysuru Suburban Bus Stand.
Officials said the reflective sheets are intended to confront anyone attempting to urinate in public with their own reflection, thereby discouraging the act psychologically.
“The idea is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, prevent public nuisance, and promote civic sense. It is a simple yet psychological approach that encourages self-awareness through reflection,” officials added.
Soon after the mirrors were installed, videos of the initiative went viral on social media, with many people appreciating the administration’s innovative attempt to address public urination. At the same time, some users pointed out the lack of basic civic sense among people.
Several social media users also suggested that more public toilets, maintained in a hygienic condition, were needed to further discourage open urination.
Explaining how the idea originated, Nitesh Patil, Administrator and Regional Commissioner of the Mysuru City Corporation, told PTI that despite a public toilet being located next to the bus stand, many people continued to urinate in the open.
Even fines and warnings failed to deter them from relieving themselves against vacant compound walls, leaving behind a foul smell.
“One of our engineers came up with this idea, and we decided to implement it. The initiative has received a very positive response from the public, social media, and the press. We are now planning to identify more such locations in the city and install similar reflectors,” he said.
According to him, to ensure that the installation is both effective and visually appealing, LED lighting that switches on along with the streetlights has also been added, causing the stretch to glow at night and enhancing the city’s appearance.
Patil said the initiative had helped create civic awareness while also beautifying the city.
“We want our city to be clean and hygienic. We aspire to become the cleanest city in the country,” he added, recalling that Mysuru secured third place nationally in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024–25 last year.
