Delhi High Court Urges Swift Action on AirSewa Portal Inefficiencies

The Delhi High Court has instructed the Ministry of Civil Aviation to address the inefficiencies of the AirSewa portal within four weeks. The portal has become largely unresponsive, affecting air travelers, especially Indian citizens abroad who depend on it for redressal of their grievances.

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Ministry of Civil Aviation to address a representation within four weeks concerning the inefficiencies of the AirSewa portal. Designed to serve as a grievance redressal mechanism for air travelers, the portal has reportedly become largely unresponsive, leaving numerous complaints unresolved.

The Delhi High Court bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, issued the directive during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking action from the Ministry. The PIL, filed by NGO Pravasi Legal Cell, highlighted the portal's failure to adequately address grievances, particularly affecting Indian citizens abroad.

The petition, filed through advocate Manas P Hameed, noted the AirSewa portal's decline in performance over the past year, leading to a growing backlog of unresolved complaints. This inefficiency has caused severe inconvenience for air travelers, pushing many to turn to consumer courts in India for redressal—a solution impractical for Indians living abroad.

The petition stressed the urgent need for the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take corrective measures, emphasizing that despite multiple representations, no substantial improvements have been made. Immediate judicial intervention was sought to address these issues in the public interest.

The plea also highlighted the logistical challenges Indian citizens abroad face in seeking redressal through consumer courts in India, such as geographical distance and time zone differences. The situation places an undue burden on them, who should be able to rely on the AirSewa portal for swift resolution of their grievances, the plea stated. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)