IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
13.09.2006
Present : Mr.Ashok Agarwal, Ms.Adelina Fanai and Ms. Sanchi, Amicus Curiae.
Ms. Monika Garg, Adv. for respondent/UOI.
Mr.Amitesh Kumar, Adv. for UGC.
Mr.D.S. Mehandru, Adv. for DDA.
Mr.Ashish Kumar, Adv. for Indian Airlines Ltd.
Ms.Manika Tripathi Pandey, Adv. for Air Deccan.
Mr.Ramakant Sharma, Adv. for Airports Authority of India.
Mr.Ajay Bhargava, Ms.Vanita Bhargavaand Ms.Neha Khatri, Advs. for Kingfisher Airlines Ltd.
Mr.Neeraj Atri and Mr.Jairaj Mudgal, Advs. for Railways.
Mr.O.P. Saxena, Adv. for MCD.
Mr.A.N. Haksar, Sr. Adv. with Mr.U.A. Rana and Mr.P.K. Thakur,
Advs. for Jet Airways India Ltd.
Mr.J.R. Midha, Adv. for Govt. of NCT of Delhi.
Mr.Sri Milanka Chaudhury with Ms.Divyangna Bali, Advs. For Spicejet.
Ms.Saroj Bidawat, Adv. for DTC.
Mr.Ashish Rana for counsel for UOI.
W.P.(C) Nos.812/2001, 13781/2004, 24125/2005
Affidavit has been filed by the Airports Authority of India. Counsel for Jet Airways says that the affidavit is ready and the same shall be filed during the course of the day. Advance copy be given to Shri Ashok Aggarwal. Counsel for Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. and Air Deccan prays for some time to file their affidavits. Let the same be filed within two weeks. Let the height from the ground level of the buses being used by the Jet Airways for carrying executive class passengers and by the Indian Airlines in inches be informed to the Court on the next date of hearing. The list of airlines using the Delhi Airports be filed by the Airports Authority of India on the next date of hearing so that notices can be issued to those airlines which are not before us. The facilities to passengers given by these airlines and provision of ambulift, the responsibility as per the Airports Authority of India lies with the airlines.
Indian Airlines has stated in the affidavit that they have provided ambulift at some other airports. Why not a meeting be called by the Airports Authority of
India with the airlines which are using the Airports at Delhi so as to evolve policy for the airports in the country so that provision of ambulift and other facilities to the passengers can be made where the same are not available. This can be achieved on joint fundings of the airlines as well as the Airports Authority of India by taking into consideration their market share and the size of airlines. Let the feasibility be worked out and report be submitted on the next date of hearing. Our attention has been drawn to the foot over bridges for pedestrians being built by the Govt. of NCT at Maharani Bagh, ITO and ISBT.
Mr.Aggarwal has contended that no provision for disabled persons has been
provided at these foot over bridges. Mr.Midha, counsel for Govt. of NCT states that he will take instructions and file an appropriate status report. Let the same be done within two weeks. Counsel for the Railways states that he will file his affidavit during the course of the day. Copy of the same has been given to Mr.Aggarwal. A further affidavit be filed by the Railways in terms of our last order detailing the facilities of interchange from platform to platform as well as the volume of traffic where no pucca platform has been constructed by the Railways. We have perused the affidavit filed by the Railways. The stand taken by the Railways is that there is no pucca platform at some of the stations which may be on account of limited number of passengers or on frequency of the trains. All the details be filed by the Ministry of Railways. As per the affidavit, Mr.Aggarwal has pointed out that from disabled persons Rs.800/- are charged for using ambulift. Learned counsel appearing for the Jet Airways states that the same are being charged by the Airports Authority of India and Jet Airways is only the collection agency. Why the Airports Authority of India is charging Rs.800/- from disabled persons? Counsel for the Airports Authority of India states that he will seek instructions in this regard on the next date of hearing.
Renotify on 8th November, 2006.
Acting Chief Justice
13th September, 2006 Kailash Gambhir, J.