The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which was recently awarded the mini-ratna status, is exploring a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for its employees at Mumbai and Delhi airports.
“We are considering VRS, among other options, for our employees at Mumbai and Delhi airports,” an AAI source told PTI on condition of anonymity. However, the VRS offer was only at the discussion stage among top officials and “no final call has yet been taken on the issue,” the official said.
The AAI has around 20,000 employees across 127 airports, including 11 international airports. Of these 11, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore airports are in the hands of private operators. As many as 5,000 employees work at Delhi and Mumbai airports.
At the time of the privatisation of Mumbai and Delhi airports in 2006, the employees stationed there were put on a three-year deputation with the private operators, the official said, adding, “These employees will complete their tenure in April next year after which they are to rejoin their parent organisation (AAI).”
Though the government has given them the option of joining the private operators, only 167 employees from Delhi and Mumbai airports have exercised this option, while the remaining have decided to stay put with the AAI, according to the official.
“Now these employees are to be absorbed. With a majority of them not interested in taking a transfer to other AAI-operated airports, several options are being explored,” he said.
