India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), conducted special safety audits of 29 non-scheduled operators (NSOPs) in February and March this year. The audits were carried out to ensure safe operations, following a plane crash in January that killed the state's deputy chief minister and four others.
The NSOPs, including private jet and helicopter companies, provide on-demand charter flights for passengers and cargo. The DGCA has a systematic safety oversight mechanism to monitor compliance with aviation rules and civil aviation requirements.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha MP Rajinder Gupta that the safety oversight process includes regulatory audits, night surveillance, ramp inspections, spot checks, and special audits. The DGCA publishes an Annual Surveillance Plan (ASP) on its website and follows up with concerned operators for compliance.
The government also shared data on accidents involving non-scheduled operators over the past five years, with two accidents in 2021, three in 2022, four in 2023, three in 2024, and five in 2025.
