Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) informed the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that it plans to install Marathi signboards and indicators at the city's airport by November 2024. The statement was made in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Gujarati Vichar Manch (GVM), which sought the inclusion of Devanagari text signboards alongside English at the airport.
During the hearing, MIAL's advocate informed the bench that they are committed to installing Marathi signboards in addition to Hindi and English ones by the end of next year. The PIL filed by GVM sought the implementation of two circulars issued by the Union Home Ministry's Department of Official Language in 2008, which emphasized the use of Hindi and regional languages on par with English on signage boards and indicators at public places.
The petitioner alleged that despite repeated reminders and requests, the respondents had failed to implement the circulars. The plea emphasized the emotional significance of language for citizens, stating that it plays a unifying role and acts as a powerful instrument for national integration.
Furthermore, the plea argued that the prominent display of English on signage boards at Mumbai Airport was an attempt to impose the language on indigenous people. The petitioner highlighted the importance of having the regional language on par with English for the convenience of Maharashtra's indigenous people and Indian residents who may not be well-versed in English.
The PIL also referred to a previous High Court order that upheld the significance of Marathi signboards and supported a circular by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) directing shops and establishments to display signboards in the Devanagari script.
The division bench, headed by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Arif Doctor, recorded the progress made by MIAL in its order and set the next hearing for November 2023, expecting substantial work to be completed by then.
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