V P Agarwal to take over as AAI Chief

PTI reports, V P Agarwal, a senior Board member of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), will take over as its Chief from January 1, 2009.

As per official sources, the appointment of Agarwal, who will replace Dr K Ramalingam, has been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet.

Agarwal has been Member (Planning) of the state-owned airports body since November 2006 and had served as Executive Director of the Northern and Northeastern Region earlier.

Ramalingam, an electronics and communication engineer, is currently on the Navigation Systems Panel of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which sets standards and practices for airlines and airports.

He is also associated with the implementation of the India's GAGAN satellite-based navigation project, being jointly developed by the AAI and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to provide total coverage of the Indian skies as well as that over the vast Indian Ocean area.

Both, Ramalingam and Agarwal have been key figures responsible for the ongoing process of modernisation of airports across the country.