NHRC seeks report on use of local languages in domestic flights

Bhubaneswar: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the ministry of civil aviation to submit an action taken report (ATR) regarding the use of local languages on domestic flights within 15 days.

On Tuesday, the NHRC asked civil aviation secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam to examine the possibility of incorporating regional languages in flight announcements, safety instructions and general communication. The directive came in response to a petition filed by human rights activist and advocate Radhakanta Tripathy, an Odisha native, on March 4 highlighting the challenges faced by passengers who are not proficient in English or Hindi. The commission termed the issue a "serious violation of human rights of air passengers".

In his petition, Tripathy emphasised that many senior citizens and passengers from rural areas struggle with flight announcements and safety instructions due to the language barrier. He cited state-specific language laws, such as in Odisha, which mandate the use of vernacular languages in official communication.

The petition argued that the current practice of using only English and Hindi violates constitutional right of passengers to access information in their native language. This is particularly relevant for flights operating to and from different states. "The exclusion of regional languages in aviation communication directly impacts passenger safety and comfort," Tripathy said in his petition.