House Mumbai airport staffers inside premises: BJP MLA Parag

Mumbai, May 07: BJP MLA Parag Alavani on Thursday demanded that employees of the Mumbai international airport be housed inside the premises itself to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Alavani, the MLA from suburban Vile Parle, where several of the airport staff reside, said accommodation arrangements should be made inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport so that they don't have to travel for work.

In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, he said such a decision needs to be taken in view of the growing number of coronavirus cases in the city, where the tally has crossed the 10,000-mark.

Though passengers flights have been suspended in view of the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, the airport is still handling cargo aircraft and movement of goods.

At present, cargo movement in on and airport staff who reside nearby are called for work, he said.

"These employees may be infected with the virus and the entire locality where they reside may also get infected," the MLA said.

He said the airport staff is doing their job by reporting for work, but the administration needs to think about their welfare too.

"Now, air services to bring back stranded Indians from abroad will resume and hence there is an enhanced threat to these employees (to contract the infection)".

"The government should verify if Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd is taking care of their employees' health and arrangement for their accommodation should be made in the airport premises".

"To boost their immunity, proper medicines and food should be given to them," Alavani said in the letter.