NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of media reports on the death of an 80-year-old who had to walk due to non-availability of a wheelchair at the Mumbai airport

Press Release

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

New Delhi, 20th February, 2024

NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of media reports on the death of an 80-year-old who had to walk due to non-availability of a wheelchair at the Mumbai airport

Issues notice to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation calling for a report in four weeks

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that an 80-year-old man died at the Mumbai airport as he had to walk when not provided with a wheelchair despite prior request to the airline. Reportedly, the man of Indian origin having a US Passport had to walk alongside his wife in another wheelchair but collapsed after walking about 1.5 kilometres on the way to the immigration area.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim. Accordingly, it has issued notice to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation calling for a detailed report in the matter within 4 weeks. It should include the status of compensation if any, provided to the Next of Kin of the deceased. The Commission would also like to know the steps taken/ proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Issuing the notice, the Commission has also observed that there has been a significant increase in the number of air passengers as well as the airfare but the standard of facilities doesn’t seem to have improved proportionately resulting in several complaints reported in the media and posted on social media.

According to the media report, there were 32 wheelchair passengers on the particular flight but there were only 15 available with accompanying staff on the ground to help them. The wife sat in the wheelchair while the husband followed her on foot and collapsed after some time. The elderly couple was travelling from New York to India.

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