Reference only — not legal advice. This page is EarthReheal WasteLedger's plain-language interpretation of the rule, written to help organisations understand what may apply to them. It can be incomplete or inaccurate. Always read the official gazette notification or statute, and confirm with your regulator or a qualified adviser, before relying on it for compliance decisions.
Quick Summary
An airport operator holds two aviation approvals that everything else depends on: the aerodrome licence issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the aerodrome security programme approved by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). EarthReheal WasteLedger tracks these as licences on file — the current document, its validity and a renewal reminder. It does not model aviation operating procedures (aerodrome manuals, rescue and fire-fighting drills, security screening), which DGCA and BCAS audit directly and which airports manage in their own systems.
What This Rule Is
Aerodrome licence. The Aircraft Rules, 1937 (rule 78) require an aerodrome used for public air transport to be licensed by DGCA. DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 4 (aerodrome standards and licensing) set the standards an aerodrome must meet to be licensed — including its rescue and fire-fighting category — and the procedure for renewal. Licences are issued for a period and renewed on application; reported renewals of airport licences have been for five years.
Aerodrome security programme. The Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023 require the aerodrome operator to maintain a security programme approved by BCAS, the national aviation security regulator.
Parent law. The Aircraft Act, 1934 was replaced by the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (in force 1 January 2025). Rules made under the 1934 Act continue in force under the new Act's savings provision.
Who This Applies To
Operators of licensed aerodromes — Airports Authority of India airports and privately operated or public-private partnership airports. Ground handlers, fuel suppliers, caterers and concessionaires hold their own approvals and are not covered by this rule.
State-Level Variations
None. Aerodrome licensing and aviation security are central subjects administered by DGCA and BCAS nationally. (State law still governs the airport's environmental consents, fire NOC for terminal buildings, lifts, trade licences and similar premises duties — see the related rules below.)
Compliance Requirements — What You Actually Have to Do
- Keep the current DGCA aerodrome licence on file with its validity date, and apply for renewal well before it expires as DGCA's renewal procedure requires.
- Keep the current BCAS approval of the aerodrome security programme on file with its validity, and renew or re-approve it when required.
- Record changes — a new licence or approval after a renewal, amendment or change in aerodrome category replaces the one on file.
EarthReheal WasteLedger reminds you ahead of each expiry date and keeps the documents ready for audits by other regulators that ask for them.
Penalties & Enforcement
DGCA can suspend or cancel an aerodrome licence, and BCAS can act against an operator whose security programme is not approved or not followed. Operating without these is not an option for a public-use airport; the practical risk tracked here is an approval lapsing unnoticed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does EarthReheal WasteLedger check our rescue and fire-fighting category or aerodrome manual? A: No. Those are part of DGCA's aerodrome certification and audit. We only track that the licence itself is current.
Q: Is the state fire NOC for our terminal the same as aerodrome rescue and fire-fighting? A: No. Aerodrome rescue and fire-fighting is a DGCA licensing standard. A fire NOC from the state fire service may still be needed for terminal and other buildings — that is tracked under fire safety.
Q: Who holds the licence at a PPP airport? A: The aerodrome operator named by DGCA — usually the concessionaire operating the airport.
Government / Official Sources
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation — Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 4 (aerodromes): dgca.gov.in
- Bureau of Civil Aviation Security: bcasindia.gov.in
- Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 — Ministry of Civil Aviation: civilaviation.gov.in
Related Rules
- RULE_AIRCRAFT_RULES_91 — control of garbage and other bird attractants around the aerodrome.
- RULE_FIRE_SAFETY — fire safety and NOC for terminal and other buildings.
- RULE_EIA_EC — Environmental Clearance conditions and six-monthly compliance reports.
Additional Reference Content
- Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023 — summary: taxguru.in
- Reported five-year renewal of an airport's aerodrome licence: deccanherald.com