Facing the threat of downgrading of the aviation safety net, the task is cut out for new DGCAchief Arun Mishra, who said his prime focus would be to take all measures to ensure safe and secure flying in India.

UN-body International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO) is scheduled to carry out a safety audit of the aviation regulator this year-end, even as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) faces an acute staff shortage, adversely affecting its activities.

Similar safety audits are also carried out on a regular basis by the International Air Transport Association and US Federal Aviation Administration.

"Naturally, the top priority will be safety. All measures to further strengthen aviation safety will have to be taken. We also have staff shortage which has to be attended to," Mishra said soon after taking over the top DGCA post.

He said the quarterly review of safety issues concerning airlines and their financial condition would continue as scheduled.

The aviation regulator has, since the days of Mishra's predecessor E K Bharat Bhushan, been constantly monitoring the airlines to ensure that safety issues are not neglected due to the financial crunch they have been facing.

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