Nanded’s Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport closed as DGCA flags major safety violations

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has shut down Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport in Nanded after flagging multiple serious safety violations. The regulator’s inspection found Level 1 lapses, considered the most severe category of safety hazards that require urgent corrective action.

Officials said the issues included large potholes on the runway, inadequate fire tenders, and the absence of proper power backup. The DGCA also noted that the airport was operating with Doppler VOR, an older navigation system less accurate than satellite-based alternatives.

The airport, which operates for seven hours daily and is managed by Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC), is serviced solely by Star Air. The airline runs 10 flights a day, carrying nearly 5,000 passengers weekly. The shutdown has disrupted schedules and is expected to impact passengers and the airline for at least a week, especially during a peak season of pilgrim travel to Nanded.

Star Air officials have already met with the civil aviation ministry to highlight the extent of disruptions, pointing out that advance bookings for Nanded flights run up to 1.8 lakh due to heavy pilgrim traffic. The DGCA has not specified when operations may resume, but corrective measures will need to be implemented before flights can restart.