Minister asks aviation ministry to examine feasibility

With public complaints against organisations like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Air India (AI) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) witnessing an upward trend, the aviation ministry has decided to set up an ombudsman “in the interest of redressal of public grievances and for ensuring speedy delivery of services”.
Civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Tuesday asked the secretary of his ministry, V Somasundaram, to examine the “feasibility of having an ombudsman for MoCA (ministry of civil aviation), especially for the attached offices and PSUs AI, AAI, PHL (Pawan Hans Limited), and DGCA”.
A senior ministry official said that the setting up of the body could take another four months after presenting the proposal before the Cabinet and receiving a go-ahead.
“The idea is to create a body empowered to give binding directions to the civil aviation entities run by the government in the country in cases of complaints from the public. It will create the much-needed forum to remedy grievances,” the official said.
While the ministry may plan to hand over the job to a retired judge in due course of time, the official said the forum would provide relief to consumers and act as a check on errant officers and employees. “The orders of the ombudsman would be binding; he could even recommend administrative action against erring employees,” the official said.