By Government-run airports across India, including Calcutta airport, are preparing for a 24-day ‘Yatri Sewa Abhiyan’ beginning September 17, with a focus on passenger assistance, cleanliness, accessibility and engagement activities. The programme coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday and will continue until October 10.
The campaign will combine cultural events with efforts aimed at improving the passenger experience inside airport terminals. At Calcutta airport, officials are holding regular meetings to finalise the schedule, while daily inspections and measures to address common passenger complaints are also being stepped up during the campaign.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had initially planned to observe September 17 as ‘Yatri Suvidha Diwas’. According to an airport official, the plan was later expanded into a 24-day programme and renamed the ‘Yatri Sewa Abhiyan’.
Senior officials at Calcutta airport met on Tuesday to discuss the activities. An airport official said the programme was being revised frequently based on instructions from AAI headquarters in Delhi.
Cultural Events and Passenger Engagement
September 17 will be observed as ‘Sewa and Sankalp Diwas’, according to airport sources. The day is expected to begin with a rendition of Vande Mataram, followed by cultural performances, including folk dances.
Passengers are also expected to receive roses, while sandalwood tilaks will be applied as part of the day’s activities.
Standees carrying the Prime Minister’s photograph are planned for departure, arrival and security-hold areas, giving passengers an opportunity to take selfies, sources said.
An airport official with more than 25 years of experience at Calcutta airport said he had not seen a programme of this scale being organised around a Prime Minister’s birthday during his tenure.
‘Sugam Yatra’ to Test Passenger Experience
One of the key initiatives planned during the campaign is ‘Sugam Yatra’, which will focus on whether passengers can navigate the airport independently.
Officials said the exercise will examine whether a passenger can enter the terminal, access the required facilities, complete check-in and reach the boarding gate without having to seek assistance.
Airport staff will reportedly record the passenger journey from entry into the terminal through to the boarding gate and submit the video to AAI headquarters. The exercise is intended to identify gaps in signage and passenger navigation.
Other accessibility measures are also planned, including ensuring that passengers using self-operated wheelchairs can move through the terminal without obstruction.
Cleanliness to Get Dedicated Attention
One of the days during the 24-day campaign will be observed as ‘Swachhata Diwas’, with airport cleanliness placed under focus.
Calcutta airport has faced passenger complaints over wet and foul-smelling washrooms over the years. Sources have attributed some of the cleanliness problems to difficulties involving unionised cleaning staff.
Officials said the campaign would also cover routine maintenance and housekeeping issues that affect passengers on a daily basis.
Parking, Traffic and Touts on the Checklist
Reducing congestion in airport parking areas and preventing bottlenecks on the vehicle lanes outside the terminal’s arrival section are among the other measures planned.
Authorities are also expected to focus on removing touts from the airport premises, according to sources.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu is scheduled to visit Calcutta airport on one of the days during the campaign, sources said.
Daily Inspections Aim to Catch Problems Early
Calcutta airport officials said they have already introduced a more regular system for identifying operational problems. A daily maintenance group and a daily housekeeping group have been formed, bringing together department heads and senior officials.
Under the arrangement, the terminal is inspected for about two hours every morning. Problems identified during the inspection, including relatively minor issues, are logged through an app. If an issue is not resolved, the system automatically escalates it to senior officials.
However, an airport official questioned whether elaborate campaigns were the most effective way to address some of the facility’s everyday problems.
The official pointed to damaged chairs in the terminal, saying replacements could not be made immediately because the next tender process had not yet reached its scheduled date. The view expressed was that reducing procedural delays could sometimes address passenger concerns more directly than special programmes.
Sources also said several department heads did not take part in Tuesday’s inspection because they were occupied with preparations for the 24-day campaign.
Officials Stress Passenger Service as Programme’s Purpose
While the timing of the campaign coincides with Prime Minister Modi’s birthday, a senior airport official rejected the description of the exercise as a birthday celebration.
“It is officially Yatri Sewa Abhiyan,” the official said, stressing the programme’s stated focus on passenger service.
With initiatives ranging from accessibility and cleanliness to parking management, signage and grievance identification, the campaign is expected to provide airport authorities an opportunity to assess how effectively passengers can move through terminals and access services during their journey.
