Demolition begins in Air India Colony near Mumbai airport

Mumbai Airport on Wednesday began demolishing 20 structures in the Air India Colony near the airport, leading to protests by a section of employees of the now Tata Group-owned airline.

Adani Group-controlled Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said the structures were uninhabitable and dilapidated, and it had obtained all appropriate permissions before starting the demolition.

Sharing a video of the protest at the colony in Mumbai’s Kalina area on social media, a former Air India Union official lamented that the action means “an aviation chapter” is coming to an end.

Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), previously under the state-controlled Airports Authority of India (AAI), was privatized in May 2006, first owned by a GVK-led consortium and later in July 2021. Adani Group took control.

“Mumbai International Airport Limited has initiated the demolition of 20 uninhabited, dilapidated structures at Air India Colony, in strict compliance with the law and as per the permission/handover granted by AIAHL, the PSU asset holding company of the erstwhile Air India. Has been done accordingly.” a MIAL spokesperson said in a statement.

MIAL said the action was part of a broader redevelopment plan of the airport land, and added that “at present, no demolition steps have been taken for the remaining more than 80 buildings within the colony which are currently occupied.” The private airport operator also said that due process of law is being followed by filing the eviction application under the AAI Act.

The spokesperson said, “Given that Mumbai Airport is a land-constrained aviation asset, this redevelopment initiative is an important step in the airport’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the expansion and improvement of existing passenger amenities, thereby supporting Mumbai’s growth and Progress will be encouraged.”

Sanjay Lazar, former general secretary of the Air India Cabin Crew Association, shared a video of the protest at the site on Twitter, which shows a group of men and women stopping a bulldozer in the presence of police personnel.

He tweeted, “An #Aviation chapter ended when I woke up today to see pictures of Air India employees protesting against Adani’s bulldozing of Indian Airlines Colony.”

“When the protesting women and men clung to the buildings to stop it, a large number of policemen and demolition teams just came in. It is a heart-wrenching moment for those of us who visited Air India and Indian Airlines colonies as children 50 years ago. I remember playing there with some of my best friends and even staying there for a while two years ago,” he said.

The Bombay High Court had in March last year dismissed pleas filed by three Air India employee unions challenging the airline’s decision to evict them from staff quarters in the colony, holding that the housing was not provided as a matter of right. Has been done or it is not a condition. of employment.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne had said that monetization of land and assets of Air India Limited was one of the essential conditions of the disinvestment process of the airline. The HC had said that if the employees continue to occupy the flats, Air India Asset Holding Company will not be able to monetize the land to reduce the debt burden of Air India Limited.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)