PANAJI
As many as 1,500 employees at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa will soon undergo training to provide a hassle-free experience for Persons with Disability (PwD) at the newly commissioned second international airport in the State.A joint initiative of the Goa State Commission for Persons with Disabilities in association with GMR and the Directorate of Civil Aviation, the training sessions will focus on the approach and attitude towards PwD. This mandatory training will be attended by staffers of all the departments and airlines operating at the airport as the sessions will be held in batches of 50 twice a week.
“The training is conducted to inculcate the right approach towards passengers with disabilities. To make travelling seamless, a lot depends on the services provided prior to take off and landing, and this is where those working here should be sensitized to give PwD dignity and a sense of empowerment during their travel,” State Commissioner for PwD, Guruprasad Pawaskar said.
He further urged the staff to be more empathetic towards PwD travelling and provide as much assistance as needed.
Head Human Resources of the GMR Goa Nitish Victor acknowledged that as PwDs are increasingly travelling by air, there is a need to facilitate their acceptance. “We at Manohar International Airport are committed to protecting the rights and dignity of PwDs,” he added.
Four trainers - Vishant Nagvekar (person with Orthopaedic disability), Mahadev Sawant (low vision), Jamila Haaziq (blindness) and Prasad Joshi (person with hearing impairment) are appointed to hold the sessions. Besides, Josephina D’Souza, a sign language interpreter will help the trainees understand and converse with PwD.
“Airport accessibility is a step forward to creating an accessible and inclusive life for persons with disabilities. Air travelling can be stressful because of the numerous procedures to be followed. Thus to reduce this burden and to facilitate easy air travel for PwD, while providing assistance and necessary information, training will go a long way in caring for PwD, and in making Goa accessible,” Pawaskar said.
