Air India’s historic staff residential colony spread across 184 acres in Kalina has now been completely vacated, marking the end of an era for one of Mumbai’s oldest airline housing settlements.
The land, which includes 106 buildings and 1,683 residential units owned by Air India, has been transferred to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL). In recent weeks, the remaining residents, part of the last group of around 150 people still staying there, have moved out, completing the evacuation process.
The colony dates back to 1955, when the first residential quarters for Air India and Indian Airlines employees were built. Over the decades, three more housing clusters were developed, eventually forming four colonies within the 184-acre campus.
Following Air India’s privatisation in 2022, ownership of the housing assets held by Air India Asset Holding Limited was transferred to MIAL. This triggered a prolonged dispute between employees, unions and the management over continued residential rights.
The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of the management and directed employees to vacate the premises. The court initially set a deadline of November 30, 2025, later extended to May 31 after requests from residents, allowing them time to relocate.
At its peak in 2022, the colony housed around 600 families, but most employees gradually moved out after privatisation. Remaining residents included staff from Air India Engineering Services Limited and AI Airport Services Limited, many of whom have now vacated.
Union representatives alleged that employees faced pressure during the transition period, including deductions from salaries as occupancy charges, reduced benefits, and delays in utility and maintenance-related services. These claims were raised by Aviation Industry Employees Guild general secretary George Abraham, while advocate Ashok Shetty argued that housing was an essential service under Air India’s allocation rules and could not be altered arbitrarily.
Beyond housing, the Kalina colony was also known for its sporting legacy. Its grounds hosted MCA training camps and practice sessions for BCCI and the Indian women’s cricket team. Several prominent cricketers, including Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube, trained on its fields. The colony also supported two schools educating nearly 3,000 students, which continue to operate.
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