The Bombay High Court delivered a verdict on Monday, dismissing a petition filed by the Air India Staff Colony Association challenging the recent expansion activities carried out by Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL). The association had raised concerns about the alleged illegal demolition of 20 vacant buildings in the Air India colony located in Kalina, a western suburb of Mumbai. MIAL, in which Adani Airport Holdings Ltd holds a 74% stake, defended its actions, stating that the demolition was part of a redevelopment plan for the airport land.
Justice RN Laddha, while rejecting the association’s plea, emphasized that the employees residing in the colony were merely licensees of the apartments, and their rights were limited to their service contracts. The high court bench also took into account MIAL’s assurance that it would exercise due care regarding the occupied buildings and schools within the Air India colony.
The residents’ association had sought a two-week maintenance of the status quo until the Supreme Court could hear the matter, scheduled for February 13. However, the high court dismissed this request. MIAL had previously committed to refraining from taking coercive measures against the 20 buildings until January 29, later extended to February 2. The high court had maintained the status quo until February 5.
As part of its expansion plan, Mumbai International Airport initiated the demolition of 20 uninhabited, dilapidated structures at the Air India Colony. MIAL asserted that the demolition was conducted in strict adherence to the law and with the permission/handover granted by AI Assets Holding Ltd, the PSU asset holding company of the erstwhile Air India. The airport operator clarified that no demolition steps had been taken for the remaining 80+ occupied buildings within the colony, and due legal processes, such as filing eviction applications under the AAI Act, were being followed for those structures.
The Air India Staff Colony Association took its plea to the Bombay High Court on January 24, seeking relief in the matter. The Maharashtra government owns the land on which the colony is situated, leasing it to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which subsequently handed over the site to Air India. Following Adani Airport Holdings Ltd’s acquisition of control over Mumbai airport, MIAL requested Air India to hand over the land to facilitate its redevelopment plan.
The high court’s decision underscores the legal complexities surrounding the dispute between the Air India Staff Colony Association and Mumbai International Airport. The court’s acknowledgment of MIAL’s adherence to legal procedures and the assurance of careful consideration for occupied structures may provide some clarity to the ongoing situation.
However, the association’s quest for relief and the impending Supreme Court hearing on February 13 suggest that the legal battle is far from over. The complexities involve not only property rights and redevelopment plans but also the broader issue of stakeholder interests, given Adani Airport Holdings Ltd’s significant ownership stake in MIAL. As the legal proceedings continue, the fate of the Air India colony and the redevelopment plans for Mumbai International Airport remain subjects of close scrutiny and debate.
