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Airports To Now Make Announcements In Local Language First

The government asks airports to make public announcements in local language first, followed by Hindi and English.



Passengers wait in the departure lounge of the Mumbai International Airport. (Photographer: Abhijit Bhatlekar/Bloomberg News)
Passengers wait in the departure lounge of the Mumbai International Airport. (Photographer: Abhijit Bhatlekar/Bloomberg News)

The government on Wednesday directed all airports to make public announcements in local language first, followed by Hindi and English, officials said.

The latest move follows a directive from Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu.

Officials said that the Airports Authority of India has issued a directive to all aerodromes under its control to start making public announcements in the local language, in addition to Hindi and English. The directions wouldn't be applicable for silent airports, where public announcements aren't made, they said.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has also sent out a communication to private airport operators regarding public announcements to be made in the local language.

In 2016, the AAI had issued a circular asking airports under its control to make public announcements in the local language followed by Hindi and English.

The minister's decision came after representations from certain quarters that public announcements at airports should also made in the local language, they said. There are more than 100 operational airports.