Guwahati Airport says automated Assamese announcement system to go live in 10 days
Guwahati airport said its automated Assamese announcement system will be operational within 10 days after complaints over language use. The move follows concerns about regional language access, passenger convenience and safety at Terminal 2.
- Jul 01, 2026,
- Updated Jul 01, 2026, 2:10 PM IST
- Airport said Assamese announcements continue manually despite concerns raised recently
- Retired officers said Terminal 2 announcements were limited to Hindi and English
- They cited aviation ministry guidance favouring regional languages at public facilities
Days after former Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Kuladhar Saikia and two other retired senior bureaucrats urged the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi (LGBI) International Airport authorities to include Assamese in all public announcements, the airport has announced that its automated Assamese announcement system will be operational within the next 10 days.
In a statement, the airport authority clarified that Assamese announcements have not been discontinued and continue to be made manually by airport staff, while airlines operating from Guwahati also make announcements in Assamese along with other applicable languages.
The clarification comes after retired IPS officers Kuladhar Saikia and Jyotirmoy Chakraborty, along with retired ACS officer Mukul Chandra Gogoi, submitted a representation highlighting that announcements at Terminal 2 were being made only in Hindi and English, contrary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation's guidelines encouraging the use of regional languages. They argued that the inclusion of Assamese is essential not only for linguistic representation but also for passenger convenience and safety during emergencies.
Responding to the concerns, the airport authority said it is implementing an automated announcement system that includes Assamese. During testing, discrepancies in the wording and pronunciation of some Assamese scripts were identified, prompting authorities to rectify them before deployment.
According to the airport, the corrections are nearing completion, and the automated Assamese announcement system is expected to be operational within the next 10 days.
The airport further stated that airlines have been strictly instructed to ensure passenger announcements are made in three languages—Assamese, Hindi and English to ensure effective communication and enhance passenger convenience.
Reaffirming its commitment to inclusivity, the airport authority said it remains dedicated to respecting and promoting Assam's linguistic and cultural identity while providing a seamless travel experience for passengers.
