Union minister Thaawarchand Gehlot has requested the civil aviation ministry to provide ramp facility at the door of aircraft for the convenience of differently-abled passengers.
In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Gehlot said that persons with disabilities (PwDs) face difficulty in boarding aircraft at places where the aerobridge facility is not available.
"At most such locations, people on wheelchairs are physically lifted and taken up the flight of steps leading to the aircraft. This is not only uncomfortable but also a degrading experience," the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister said in the letter.
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Noting that some airlines provide the ramp facility instead of staircase, he said this was a more convenient and dignified way of providing access to the aircraft to everyone, including persons with disabilities (PwDs).
"I would urge you to issue necessary instructions so as to ensure provision of ramp, for at least one door of every aircraft, at such locations where the facility of an aerobridge is not available," he said.
He also drew Raju's attention to the Accessible India Campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 3, 2015 for creating universal accessibility-- including in the transport systems and the information and communication technology eco-system -- for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
As a part of the Accessible India Campaign, the airports in the country are also to be made accessible to PwDs.
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