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Dr. RAMESH KUMAR

ASHOK KUMAR COMMITTEE Introduction The Ashok Kumar Committee which examined ways to make air travel hassle-free for persons with disabilities and reduced mobility has assessed the current situation at airports across the country and made recommendations to ease their travails Union Ministry of Civil Aviation Its aim is to review the existing Civil Aviation Requirements on Carriage by Air of Persons with Disability and/or Persons with Reduced Mobility (CAR); examine best practices in the world and present a detailed set of guidelines to improve experience Suggested to clearly allocate responsibility between airports and airlines to avoid delays and inconveniences Suggested to standardize equipment and facilities in consultation with government departments overseeing implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act. Internal audits should be introduced to ensure that assistive devices are available in good condition and persons handling these equipments are well trained. Responsibilities should be fixed on each stakeholder not just airport and airlines, but agents, ticketing websites, airport operator and CISF also. A complaints resolution officer to deal with these issues relating to persons with disabilities must be appointed at each airport. An ombudsman is also to be appointed to settle complaints between different service providers and passengers. A comprehensive disabledfriendly airport design has also been drawn up It also urged the Ministry to ensure compliance of recommendations within three years at major airports, and then at other airports in a phased manner

Constituted by Aim

Proposed changes / initiatives