New Delhi/Mumbai: The Delhi High court on Thursday has declared the strike by AAI employees as illegal. The court has said that no protest can take place within 500 yards of Delhi airport.
The court also said if the strike continues, the AAI employees will be held in contempt of court.
Ironically this ruling came in response to a petition filed by the airport workers union themselves.
The union had petitioned against the privatisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports.
The Airport Employees Union strike has entered day two, and though the protestors have intensified their agitation, all flights are taking-off and landing as scheduled.
Meanwhile, the Left leaders to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on airport issue on Friday.
In New Delhi, scores of striking airport staff blocked the main approach road to the domestic terminal but airlines reported no disruptions or complaints regarding passengers missing flights.
There were no last-minute seat cancellations, airlines officials said.
Nor has there been any complaint that passengers have missed flights until now because of the road blockade, they said.
On the second day of their protest, the striking employees of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) vowed to
continue their road blockade until the government withdrew its airport privatisation plans.
"The road blockade will continue indefinitely," Joy Lal, Joint General Secretary of the Airports Authority of India Employees Union, said.
The protesters did not allow any transport movement on the road, a main thoroughfare to the domestic terminal.
However, airlines said flights were departing and arriving on schedule.
However, a Jet Airways official said that the airlines was advising passengers to arrive at the Delhi airport well ahead of their scheduled departure.
Security has been tightened and the CISF, the CRPF and the Delhi Police have been deployed in large numbers.
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The protestors were not allowing any transport movement on the road, one of the main thoroughfares to the domestic terminal.
Cargo delivery operations were disrupted in Chennai while passengers had to face some difficulty with basic amenities like baggage clearance and public conveniences at the airports affected due to absence of staff.
At Chhatrapati Shivaji airport in Mumbai, police cordoned off the entry point at the terminal building to facilitate passenger movement.
Two companies of Rapid Action Force and additional police force were deployed at the airport to prevent any untoward incidents.
A ten square feet area at the entrance of the airport was completely cordoned off and the striking employees assembled a little distance away from the main gate, police officials said.
Police had resorted to lathicharge on Wednesday after protesters started pelting stones and breaking police barricades at the entrance of the airport building.
Alternate arrangements have been made so that services are not affected, airport officials said adding CISF personnel were extending assistance.
Out of the 131 AAI personnel working here, 96 did not report for duty, the officials said. The protesting employees staged a demonstration in front of the airport.
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