C-ATFM

Airports Authority of India (AAI) will launch a project to streamline air traffic flow to the six busiest airports in the country .
The Centralised Air Traffic Flow Management (C-ATFM) is expected to help cut down delays and allow uniform management of flights. The unit will coordinate with India Meteorological Department, defence, airports and airlines to chart out routes and allot departure and arrival slots to avoid delays and congestion. With Delhi as the command and control centre, it has been put to test and shadow operations will start in September.
A senior AAI official said, “It will be implemented in three phases and complete by 2017.The first phase will cover six major airports -Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Together they handle more than 60% of air traffic. C-ATFM will be expanded to other airports in the second phase. In the final phase, it will be connected to neighbouring countries so that India will play a key role in flow management in South Asia.“
Chennai is expected to play a major role as the region controls a major share of traffic to southern India and also over South Asia covering Bay of Bengal and portions of Indian Ocean. A senior official said, “People, location and machinery have been identified in Chennai. It will get a terminal management unit that will use inputs from command centre in Delhi to route flights. It will be linked to the air traffic automation already functioning in Chennai. Flight levels and slots can be easily allotted. This will help decongest the skies.“
Since the project will be linked to military , restricted airspace may open up allowing domestic flights to take the shortest routes. The official also said India had taken the lead in setting up the system in South Asia because of its geographical location. “This region along with Middle East and Africa lack the facility. This will allow aircraft that traverse from west to east and vice versa over South Asia to take the shortest route saving time and fuel,“ he added.
Air traffic flow management is available in more than 44 regions. It covers the American continent, Europe, Russia and East Asia.