Air traffic controllers protest attack on colleagues in Mumbai

Over 150 air traffic controllers (ATCs) Monday staged a sit-in at their regional office here to protest the alleged physical assault on some of their colleagues at the AAI colony by local goons Sunday night.

An association of the ATCs alleged that a few of its members were beaten up badly.

One of the controllers was seriously injured and had to be admitted to a nearby private hospital, the ATC Guild said.

The Guild has also demanded deployment of CISF personnel besides installation of CCTVs at the Airports Authority of India Colony near the airport here following the "shocking" incident.

Later, the regional office-bearers of the ATC Guild (India) held a meeting with the AA's western region executive director and sought action on their demands.

"The AAI headquarters has instructed the regional executive director to form a committee and prepare an action plan to fulfil our demand by Tuesday," an ATC source said.

"It is known to all that residents of AAI colony have been subjected to many cases of theft, burglary and manhandling in the past by these ruffians staying outside and using the premises of AAI colony for commuting and playing," ATC Guild (India) Secretary (western region) Santosh Patel said in a letter to the AAI regional executive director.

In the letter, the Guild also alleged that despite repeated requests to take up this perennial issue "seriously" and work on the suggested measures, safety and security of the residents have not been strengthened to prevent such incidents.

"In view of the above, the ATC Guild demands the deployment of CISF personnel at the AAI colony in Mumbai, construction of wall between E-line road and outside slum as well installation of CCTV cameras at the earliest," it said.

Besides raising these demands, ATCs are also planning to wear black badges in protest against the physical attack on their colleagues, ATC sources said.

If concrete action is not taken in the next two days, the Guild will stage a large scale demonstration Thursday, they added.