PIL In Madhya Pradesh High Court Calls For Improved Air Connectivity, Restoration Of Discontinued Flights From Jabalpur

The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf has also instructed to file the amended memo of parties immediately. The bench sitting at Jabalpur has posted the matter to 23.07.2024 for the return of notice to the aforementioned airline companies.

“…On the oral prayer of the petitioner, Air India, Indigo, Spice Jet and Akasa Air are impleaded as respondents. Let amended memo of parties be filed within two days…”, the court noted in its order last week.

Adv. Dinesh Upadhyay appeared for the petitioners. Advocate Sandeep Shukla appeared for respondents 1 and 2. Senior Advocate Anoop Nair along with Advocate Disha Rohitas represented the Airport Authority of India.

Background

Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch, an organization that focuses on social activism, along with its President in his personal capacity, filed the said public interest litigation. The plea states that Jabalpur has three defence factories, five universities, world-famous pilgrim centres like Bhedaghat, three national parks and the principal seat of the High Court.

Despite its economic and strategic importance, even after extending and developing the airport by spending almost Rs 500 crores, most of the existing flights have been discontinued instead of providing additional air routes, the petitioners point out. The newly developed airport was inaugurated on 10^th March 2024.

According to the petitioners, new flight routes are periodically introduced from cities like Indore, Bhopal and Gwalior whereas the Jabalpur Airport is conveniently ignored by authorities. Such discrimination meted out to Jabalpur by the Authorities cannot be encouraged, the petitioners contend. Apart from the Union Government, Airport Authority of India and the Director General of Civil Aviation, the Airport Director of Jabalpur is also present in the respondent party array as originally filed.

The petitioners further argue that there were 8-10 flights from Jabalpur to major cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chennai, Kolkata etc. earlier. However, many airlines have discontinued their flights from Jabalpur, and the respondent authorities have failed to remedy the situation. Despite many representations made by the petitioners to tackle the issue, the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities continued, the plea adds.

Because of the poor aviation connectivity, many students from different parts of the country, businessmen as well as patients seeking medical treatment in major hubs like Mumbai or Bengaluru are adversely affected, the plea emphasizes. It also draws the court's attention to the instances of flights being discontinued on the Mumbai and Pune Circuits despite being profitable, after the inauguration of the newly developed airport.

The unavailability of direct flights to many cities and the lack of a viable transport channel has a dampening effect on the economy of the city; the petitioners submit in the PIL about how the right of its citizens to better transportation facilities has been violated.

Case Title: Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch & Ors v. Union Of India & Ors

Case No: WP No. 14563 of 2024

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