Airport working unaffected with strike

Bhopal, Mar 12: Flight and airport services were largely unaffected at the Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal as was witnessed in various places across the country on Wednesday, despite an indefinite "non-cooperation" move called by Airport Authority Employees Union, which began at midnight to protest the closure of existing airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The Water and power supply at the airport was under pressure in the morning for a brief period but later things normalized as the Air Force Personnel reached the site. The Airport authorities had made prior arrangements for maintaining hassle free services in the wake of the strike. Authorities hired 50 workers from private agencies, 23 air force personnel and 20 sanitary workers from private contractors to maintain basic amenities at the airport. The passengers during the morning flights were hassled as the contract workers were not present for carrying the trolleys of baggage. The travelers themselves had to take out their belongings out of the airport and the left trolleys were lying there till late evening. There are 128 ground staff including the 38 officers, which didn’t participated in the agitation. As many as 90 employees, from Tuesday midnight went on indefinite strike discontinuing normal functioning.   

The Indian Airlines, Jet and Air deccan airlines ferry passengers between New Delhi, Indore, Gwalior and Mumbai from Bhopal airport. The routine work was almost unaffected as the Air Traffic Control and other Airport officials didn’t participate in the strike. The airport authorities had roped in private agencies for unhindered supply of water and power, while requests were made from Municipal Corporation and BHEL for alternate fire brigade services. JP Alex Director Raja Bhoj Airport said that though the power and water supply was under pressure in the morning but normalcy restored later in the day. He added that they have made alternate arrangements and routine functioning would not be affected if the strike goes on for few more days. Agitating employees kept chanting slogans under their tent outside the airport. Azad Pandey Secretary employees union said that they would intensify their agitation from Thursday on wards.