GAGAN

The Airports Authority of India launched a satellite-based navigation system to monitor the air traffic more accurately. The new system -Global Position System Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (Gagan) -will help seamless navigation of aircraft movement. Gagan is a joint initiative of AAI and Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and has cost Rs 700 crore. Of this, Rs 200 crore has come from the ISRO and rest from the government of India. "The system would be in place by June 2013. This is going to change the entire air navigation in India. In the beginning, we would have both Gagan and ground radar for navigation so as to avoid any kind of risk. Later, it would be only Gagan. This would not only ensure safety and security but also help accommodating more traffic as the air space between the two aircraft would get reduced,” Agarwal said. The new system will enable airlines to chart out direct routes as they will be less dependent on the ground-based radar systems, save fuel and increase efficiency. The airlines, with older aircraft will have to install this system whereas the new aircraft will come equipped with the system.

With Gagan, India would be the fourth country after US, Japan and Europe to have such a system. "We can also give assistance to other countries as well. As of now, Bangladesh and Nepal have already expressed their interest in our system," Agarwal said.