The very first thought that comes to our mind as we hear the word airplane is convenience and comfort. An airplane can cover huge distances and save a massive chunk of time. It helps us dodge the hustles of local transports as well. But to some people it is much more than just an epitome of comfort or time saver, it is a dire need. In this article we will be looking into one such airport and the struggles of an extraordinary person unraveling some grave issues, in our society, through it.

Darbhanga Airport, a civil enclave 6km from main town Darbhanga, is scheduled to open on 8th Nov 2020. It was first a vision of Maharaja Kameshwar Singh Bahadur as a private airline. The Maharaja bought four airplanes for the same. It began operating for the first time in 1950 and was defunct by 1962. Since then it’s been under the Govt.’s plan for a long time until now that it’s finally completed and going to be functional once again. The foundation stone was kept by CM Nitish Kumar in the presence of other dignitaries on 24th Dec 2018. The project was completed this year and the booking of tickets began on 20th Sept.

The Darbhanga Airport is located in such a place that makes it a crucial landmark for even other districts around it. It is located, at the suburbs of Darbhanga, near NH-57 and NH-105 which connects it to the bordering districts of Madhubani, Muzaffarpur etc. Therefore people of Darbhanga had been knocking the Government’s door for it to be made functional once again. Of all, this airport is especially going to be a boon for the physically disabled. Since, in India the infrastructure has been developed in a way that completely overlooks the conveniences of physically disabled. The lack of basic framework in terms of elevators , ramps, simple curbs to move from street to sidewalk etc. in public places make the daily errands nothing less than a battle for them.

Excerpts from a casual chat with Indian paraplegic swimmer Md. Shams Aalam Shaikh gives an inner insight into the struggles he has faced till now to reach his native home in a remote village Rathaus in Madhubani, a district in northern Bihar. On being asked about travelling to his home from Mumbai, where he is currently living, he says “The Patna Airport is nearest from Madhubani so I have to take a flight from Mumbai to Patna but the real trouble starts on reaching the Patna airport, Madhubani is still more than 170 to 200kms away, I cannot afford to book a vehicle as the charges are beyond my capabilities so I have to either take a bus or a train which have no facilities at all for the physically disabled”.

It is well known that the compartments of trains and the seats of buses are designed in such a way that completely neglects the needs of people on wheelchairs. In most of the public transports, the seats are so tightly packed that it is nearly impossible for a wheelchair to fit in. The lack of ramps makes it more difficult to even get on them. Further he says, “They treat you like lifeless objects, they’ll cram you in a corner and not give you enough space to even move a little”. He then recalls one such harrowing incident when he was stuffed in a bus and he had to stay without visiting the bathroom for more than 24hrs. Needless to mention there has to be innumerable such instances to count on. Being a sportsperson, traveling from one place to another for events, matches etc. is inevitable and each time he is met with such appalling treatment. It is indeed shocking to see that in a world where we boast of reaching the moon, it is not yet hospitable for some of our fellow brothers. Shams has also been vocal for an airport in Darbhanga. He demanded for it on various platforms, made videos on Youtube and posted it on his channel, talked about it in various conferences but sadly it couldn’t reach the deaf ears of the people in power. The efficient work needed in this sector has for long been replaced by ‘Jumlas’ or hollow promises made by politicians.

The inauguration of the airport is definitely a big relief for all of northern Bihar but we have to keep in mind that it should not be constrained to mere political propagandas. As we see that the 2020 Bihar elections are near, the topic of the airport came to light all of the sudden. The CM demands for completion of the airport in the shortest span of time. He spoke to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and AAI Chairman Arvind Singh and urged them to look into the matter. This all indicates that the development is being done with the sole motive of amassing the valuable votes of people of Mithila region. There is a lot that is yet to be done in this sector and it is worrying if we will see any considerable progress in near future or only after the 5 year term is over and it is time for the 2025 Lok Sabha elections.

The airport is definitely a big milestone but a lot needs to be done for our impaired folks in terms of inclusive education, infrastructure and job-opportunities so that they can work, earn, have great careers and live lives of dignity. We all should join hands and strive to attain these goals, only then can this world be a better place for one and all.

This was my take on the topic, feel free to share your views in the comment section below.

Written By- Tanay Shubham
Edited By- Team Shams Aalam