Hopes Grounded: HC Junks Appeals Of Air India Ex-Staffers Against Eviction Order From Quarters

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a bunch of appeals filed by former Air India employees challenging eviction from their residential quarters at the AI Colony in suburban Kalina.

A bench of Justice Sharmila Deshmukh upheld the order passed by the Eviction Officer under the Airports Authority of India Act ruling the quarters are 'airport premises' under the legislation.

The bench, however, granted the employees a six-week stay on the order to allow them to approach the Supreme Court.

The HC, in its order, noted the land on which the colony in Mumbai stands has always belonged to the AAI, a statutory body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and was leased to Air India, once the national carrier, in 1952.

Upon Air India's disinvestment and its eventual hand over to the Tata Group in 2022, leasehold rights of the land were transferred to Mumbai International Airport Ltd, which then initiated eviction proceedings.

The high court also noted that Air India had withdrawn the housing facility and terminated the leave and licence agreements through notices.

The court referred to its earlier order dated Aug. 25, 2022, which directed employees to vacate the flats in the colony by Sept. 24, 2022.