SC dismisses AAI employees plea against transfer

 The Supreme Court dismissed two petitions filed by Mumbai and Delhi airports employees union challenging the decision of the government transferring them to various airports under AAI in view of privatisation of these two airports. Mumbai airport will given to Mumbai International Airport Limited, a company of GVK group while Delhi airport will go to Delhi International Airport limited, GMR group. The government has decided to transfer over 2500 airport employees to various airports in the country. About 1300 employees belong to Mumbai airport while 1200 are from Delhi airport. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) had also come out with Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and around 650 employees have agreed to take retirement under VRS while 150 have accepted transfer orders. These employees have become redundant due to privatisation of these two airports as per agreement of 2006. The Mumbai High Court had dismissed their petition. A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal and G S Singhvi dismissed the petition holding that when there is no work for the employees at these two airports then they will have to accept the transfer orders. Solicitor General G E Vahanvati, appearing for AAI, earlier submitted before the court that the government did not want to retrench these employees and they are only being transferred to remaining 89 airports under AAI where they can be absorbed.