Tue Jul 08 08:56:50 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

A Parliamentary panel, led by Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, held a meeting with civil aviation ministry officials, airline representatives, and airport authorities. Discussions revolved around the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, the subsequent investigation, and concerns regarding a surge in Srinagar airfares after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. Some panel members also called for an audit of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

**News Article:**

**Parliamentary Panel Questions Aviation Officials on Air India Crash, Srinagar Airfare Hike**

*New Delhi, July 8, 2025* – A Parliamentary panel, chaired by senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, convened today to address critical issues within the civil aviation sector, including the recent Air India plane crash and a dramatic spike in Srinagar airfares.

The meeting, attended by high-ranking civil aviation ministry officials, airline executives (including Air India CEO Campbell Wilson), and airport representatives, focused intensely on the fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, that claimed approximately 270 lives. Parliamentarians pressed ministry officials for a timeline on the analysis of the aircraft’s black boxes and the completion of the accident investigation.

Another key point of concern was the surge in airfares for flights to Srinagar following the Pahalgam terror attack in April. Members of the committee voiced strong concerns, implying exploitation of the situation during a sensitive time. The government has banned flights to Pakistan.

Furthermore, several parliamentarians called for a comprehensive audit of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), hinting at possible inadequacies in security oversight.

The meeting’s official agenda, according to the Lok Sabha website, centered on examining the “Levy and regulation of fees, tariffs, user charges, etc. on public infrastructure and other public utilities.” The discussion on the air crash and airfare increases indicates that the Committee is seriously considering the impact of such disasters on public trust and the economic burden on travellers.

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