Almost four months after the Air India Flight 171 crash, which claimed the lives of 229 passengers and all 12 crew members, the families of the victims have started to receive ex gratia of R1 crore, which was promised by the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, which had been set up to provide compensation to the families of the deceased and rebuild BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad, which was damaged in the disaster.
According to information received by mid-day, so far, more than 18 families have received the ex gratia, and many more are expected to receive it soon.
Imtiaz Ali, the brother of victim Javed Ali, said, “We have not received the money but are in the process of submitting all the extra documents to the trust. We had already submitted multiple documents when the interim payment was being processed. We hope that the money reaches us soon.”
Maithili Patil, one of the 12 crew members
He added, “My unwell mother is physically in a better condition than before. We were worried about her health last month, but she is all right now. She is still grieving the loss of her son, and I, my brother. This money that will come in soon, hopefully, will help me get my mother better treatment for her health.”
Cries of anguish
Rajendra Songhare, father of 26-year-old Roshni Songhare, one of the crew members who died in the crash, said the family had been left in the dark about when they would receive the full compensation. “To date, we have only received insurance money. We haven’t received a rupee of the Rs 1 crore that was promised,” he told mid-day. “We are still waiting for the forensic report. Without it, her official documents have not even been handed over to us. Every time we call or receive a call from those concerned, they say the process is ongoing, and we should wait a little longer. But how long are we supposed to wait?”
Roshni, who had been working as a cabin crew member for over three years, was the pride of her family and its primary breadwinner. Her sudden death has left an irreplaceable void — both emotionally and financially.
Pramila Patil, Maithili’s mother, has started collecting all the required documents to claim compensation
Similar anguish was echoed by Balasaheb Pathak, father of Deepak Pathak, another crewmember. Speaking from his village near Nashik, Pathak said, “We have received only the insurance amount so far. No other compensation has come our way. In fact, I haven’t even received a single official call. We only heard from others that Rs 1 crore would be given to the families. But so far, it’s just been words.”
He added that both he and his wife were struggling with health issues and were living far from the city, making it difficult to follow up on the bureaucratic processes.
For both families, the wait has been long, painful, and filled with uncertainty. What adds to their distress is the lack of clear communication from the authorities. The parents say that while initial condolences and announcements were made soon after the crash, there has been little to no follow-up since then.
“We are not asking for anything beyond what was promised. This amount is not just financial relief — it’s recognition of the sacrifice our children made while doing their duty,” said Rajendra Songhare. “If you get any update, please let us know. We are desperate for answers.”
The families have appealed to Air India and the civil aviation authorities to expedite the process and ensure that the promised compensation reaches them soon.
The Nhava Sheva-based family of crew member Maithili Patil is among those who are yet to receive the Rs 1 crore ex gratia.
‘Selfless daughter’
Pramila Patil, Maithili’s mother, said she has not yet submitted the required documents as she was in deep shock after losing her daughter. “Air India’s HR and a person named Kaushik came to our house soon after the crash and asked for the documents, but at that time, I was not in the state to do any paperwork. I had just lost my daughter. I told them to give me at least two and a half months to recover,” said Pramila with tears in her eyes.
She added, “Over 200 people are supposed to get this compensation. I decided to wait for some time because I was mentally not prepared. Now that I am feeling better, I have started collecting all the required documents.”
Moreshwar Patil, Maithili’s father, said a person from Delhi had claimed that 30 per cent of the R1 crore would be deducted by the government. “We have not received any money yet. Once all documents are ready, we will complete the process,” he said.
Pramila also recalled that her daughter could have saved herself but chose to help others instead. “She was trained to handle emergencies, but she put passengers’ lives before her own. That’s who my daughter was — selfless and brave,” she said.
June 12
Day crash occurred
(By: Madhulika Ram Kavattur, Amarjeet Singh and Shrikant Khupekar)
