We live in a world where change is the only constant. Different situations keep on arising and we need to traverse our path according to it. But if the change is causing a complete overhaul of your life, it can be overwhelmingly painful. This is what Air India employees residing in Air India colonies in Kalina, near Mumbai Airport must be feeling right now.
Air India employees might have to vacate the AI colony near Mumbai Airport
Air India colonies which are home to over 7,000 residents soon might witness a drastic change. The residents would have to vacate the staff quarters, six months after Airline’s divestment o the property is monetized or whichever happens first.
The ministerial panel formed to work out modalities of the disinvestment took this decision this month.
The airline occupies 184 acres of land in Kalina which formerly belonged to the Airports Authority of India. The land was later passed on to GVK when Mumbai Airport was privatized.
George Abraham, General Secretary, Aviation Industry Employees Guild, said, “It is criminal to ask the Airline staff to vacate the quarters. There are people, with 10-20 years of service left, those with children in colony school. Typically, the AI staff vacate their colony quarters post-retirement, and with retirement money, they buy flats in distant suburbs, like Nalasopara, Virar, They will be homeless now.”
Government is ready to accept some demands
To speed up the process of privatization, the government is ready to accept some of the main demands of Air India employees.
AI Provident Fund Trust will be transferred to the Employees Provident Fund Office (EPFO) after divestment. The Centre has also agreed to accept the cost of liquidation loss on account of transfer to EPFO as well as encashment of leaves. The government is ready to ready to accept the inclusion of employees in CGHS too.
Last year, the Air India employees had appealed Civil Aviation ministry to continue medical, leave encashment, and provident fund benefits for retired employees in their current form even after the national air career undergoes privatization. Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Union Civil Aviation Minister, affirmed that the disinvestment process of national carrier Air India was on the “right track”. The disinvestment process of Air India is on the right track. For this, the financial bids should come in by September 15 and after that, the next move would be initiated, he added further.
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