Technology driven air traffic control systems can safely manage small airstrips: Jeet Adani

Nagpur: Jeet Adani, director of Adani Defence and Aerospace, said on Friday that technology-driven air traffic control (ATC) systems can play a critical role in safely managing small airstrips, including those in semi-urban and rural areas.Responding to questions on airstrip management following the recent Baramati plane crash in which deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar died, Adani said technology could significantly enhance safety."Technological intervention could substantially improve safety standards at smaller airstrips that currently rely on basic operational setups," he said, adding that global best practices show how technology can make aviation operations more efficient and secure."Absolutely, it can be done. Around the world, airstrips like these are managed through intelligent ATC operations," Adani told TOI on the sidelines of the Advantage Vidarbha conclave.On whether the Adani Group was considering airport infrastructure development in Vidarbha's hinterland, Adani said the idea had not been formally evaluated at the conclave. "We didn't evaluate it today, but it's certainly interesting and worth examining. Without an evaluation, however, I can't say whether we would proceed," he said.