The Mumbai airport officials are planning to upgrade the surface movement radar (SMR) to get a better view of aircraft parked in the bays in order to avoid any possibility of a collision.
The Mumbai airport officials are planning to upgrade the surface movement radar (SMR) to get a better view of aircraft parked in the bays in order to avoid any possibility of a collision. This would make the city airport safer, claimed sources.
According to officials from air traffic control (ATC) department, the SMR allows them to see and monitor the movement of aircraft on the computer screen in their control room. The upgradation of SMR would include adoption of new safety features and technology, said the officials. According to them, work on installing the radars had been underway ever since the new airport terminal building started functioning. Recently, the officials finished installing four radars on south-east sector.
According to officials from ATC, they are now considering the upgradation of the SMR and are planning to check the interested companies, contract and expenditure of the project.
Explaining the role of SMR, an official said it is a software that allows an air traffic controller to see the movements at the airport in the form of dots on their computer screen. So, whenever an aircraft moves, the controller can see it moving on screen and if any other aircraft, catering van or another vehicle comes near it, they can immediately alert the concerned person.
