Residents protest as Adani Group demolishes Mumbai’s Air India colony

Billionaire Gautam Adani-led MIAL started the demolition of 20 uninhabited, dilapidated structures at the Air India Colony located in Mumbai’s Kolivery village, Santacruz.

Billionaire Gautam Adani-led Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) started the demolition of 20 uninhabited, dilapidated structures at the Air India Colony located in Mumbai’s Kolivery village, Santacruz.

In March 2022, approximately a month after Air India was handed over to Tata Sons, MIAL issued a notice to the airlines asking it to surrender land that is not core to its operations, including four staff colonies. These colonies were home to 1,600 families.

According to the MIAL spokesperson, the demolition was conducted “in strict adherence to the law and accordance with the permission/handover granted by AIAHL, the PSU asset holding company of erstwhile Air India”.

The exercise was part of MIAL’s comprehensive redevelopment plan of the airport land, they said.

“At present, no demolition steps have been undertaken for the remaining 80-odd buildings within the colony, which are currently occupied. Due process of law by filing eviction applications under the AAI Act is being followed for the same,” the spokesperson said.

“Considering Mumbai Airport is a land-constrained aviation asset, this redevelopment initiative is a crucial step in the airport’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the expansion and improvement of existing passenger facilities, thus fostering the growth and progress of Mumbai,” they added.

However, the move was opposed by the residents of the colony, who entered into a heated argument with the teams. They tried to prevent the earthmover vehicles from carrying out the demolition works.