84 workers at 42 Indian airports found drunk on duty: DGCA

Aviation regulator DGCA had in September 2019 issued rules for breath analyser test for all airport workers

A total of 84 people working at 42 Indian airports were found drunk on duty between January 2021 and March 2022, as per the data of the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Fifty-four (64 per cent) of the 84 workers who failed the mandatory alcohol tests were drivers, stated the DGCA's data, which has been accessed by PTI.

While many of the workers who failed the alcohol tests were employed by airport operators, a significant section of them were employed by other companies -- catering companies, ground handling companies, aircraft maintenance companies, etc -- which work at the airport.

56 workers at 35 Airports Authority of India (AAI)-run airports, 17 workers at four Adani Group-run airports, nine workers at two GMR group-run airports and two workers at Fairfax India-run Bengaluru airport failed the alcohol tests between January 2021 and March 2022, as per the DGCA data.

However, Bengaluru airport's operator BIAL clarified that the two workers who failed the alcohol tests were not its employees.  "Bengaluru airport (BIAL) has not had any instances of its employees failing the breath analyser test in 2021, and so far this year," it said.

When asked about the aforementioned DGCA data of 56 workers failing the alcohol tests, the Centre-run AAI shared with PTI its own data stating that only 18 workers at 14 AAI-run airports failed the alcohol tests between January 2021 and March 2022.

"Out of 18 workers who failed the BA [breath analyser] test, three were from the AAI and the remaining 15 were from AAI contracting agencies," the AAI added.