Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged lawmakers to push for reforms across all sectors while firmly ensuring that such reforms serve the people and do not become an additional burden on them. The remarks assume particular significance in the context of the continuing large-scale operational crisis at IndiGo, India’s largest airline.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju briefed reporters about the Prime Minister’s instructions during a meeting held on Wednesday with MPs belonging to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
“Ensure that people do not face any trouble on account of the government. Rules and regulations are well and good, but they should be made to improve the system and not to harass the public,” Rijiju said, directly quoting the Prime Minister.
He added, “Prime Minister Modi has said in very clear words that there should not be any such law or rule which unnecessarily troubles the common citizens. This should not happen. Laws should not be a burden on the people, but for their convenience.”
The Prime Minister’s comments come at a time when IndiGo has been grappling with a week-long spell of severe operational turmoil. Starting last Tuesday, the airline has been forced to cancel or significantly delay hundreds of flights owing to an acute shortage of pilots. The shortage arose because the carrier did not adequately anticipate and plan for the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms that restrict the number of hours pilots can fly.
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The widespread cancellations have left thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country and have sparked intense public anger as well as sharp criticism of both the airline’s management and the regulatory framework.
In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued show-cause notices to IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras, asking them to explain the reasons behind the countrywide disruptions.
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Amid escalating pressure, the government has convened a high-level meeting on Thursday that will include senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and top executives from major airline operators to find an immediate resolution to the crisis.
In a separate regulatory action, the DGCA has directed IndiGo to immediately reduce its overall flight schedule by 5 per cent, citing the airline’s demonstrated inability to operate its existing roster efficiently. In its official directive, the regulator stated that IndiGo “has not demonstrated an ability to operate these schedules efficiently”.
The watchdog has asked the carrier to implement deeper cuts on high-density and high-frequency routes and has expressly warned against operating single-flight sectors that offer no buffer in the event of disruptions. IndiGo has been given a deadline of 5 pm on Thursday to submit a revised flight schedule incorporating these mandatory reductions.
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