Mumbai airport expansion: High court rejects plea to pause demolitions

MUMBAI :The Bombay High Court on Monday rejected a petition filed by the Air India Staff Colony Association opposing a recent expansion undertaken by Mumbai International Airport Ltd, or Mial.

The association alleged that MIAL, in which Adani Airport Holdings Ltd holds a 74% stake, had illegally initiated demolition of 20 vacant buildings at the Air India colony in Kalina, a western suburb in Mumbai.

Justice RN Laddha, while opposing the association’s plea, held that “the employees are merely licensees of the apartments, and their right is limited to their service contracts”.

The high court bench also considered MIAL’s assurance that it would take due care with respect to occupied buildings and schools in the Air India colony.

The residents’ association had requested that status quo be maintained for two weeks until the Supreme Court hears the matter, which is listed for 13 February. The high court dismissed the request.

MIAL said last month that it would refrain from taking coercive measures against the 20 buildings at the Air India colony until 29 January, which it then extended to 2 February. The matter was then left in status quo by the high court until 5 February.

As a part of its expansion plan, Mumbai International Airport had issued a statement saying it had “initiated the demolition of 20 uninhabited, dilapidated structures at the Air India Colony, conducted in strict adherence to the law and in accordance with the permission/handover granted by [AI Assets Holding Ltd], the PSU asset holding company of erstwhile Air India.”

MIAL said the expansion was part of a redevelopment plan of the airport land. “At present, no demolition steps have been undertaken for the remaining 80+ buildings within the colony which are currently occupied. Due process of law by filing eviction applications under the AAI Act are being followed for the same,” Mumbai International Airport said in its statement.

The Air India Staff Colony Association on 24 January approached the Bombay High court seeking relief in the matter.

The Maharashtra government owns the land on which the colony is situated. It leased the land to the Airports Authority of India, which in turn handed over the site to Air India. After acquiring the control of Mumbai airport, MIAL asked Air India to hand over the land to it.