15,000 candidates turn up for 1,800 vacancies, chaos at Mumbai aiport

Chaotic scenes unfolded in Mumbai's Kalina on Tuesday when around 15,000 jobseekers turned up for a walk-in interview conducted by Air India Airport Services Ltd. The recruitment drive aimed to fill 1,800 vacancies for handyman and utility agent positions.

Due to the overwhelming turnout and to prevent a stampede-like situation, applicants were asked to submit their resumes and leave. George Abram, general secretary of the Aviation Industry Employees Guild, criticized the mismanagement, claiming that 50,000 jobseekers had turned up according to his sources.

Abram highlighted the extent of joblessness, noting that a 1 km-long queue formed, necessitating police intervention. "We had warned the company against such drives. Applicants were asked to leave their application, and they would be called later," Abram stated.

Rambabu Chintalacheruvu, CEO of AI Airport Services Limited, estimated the crowd at about 15,000 people. The positions, requiring a minimum SSC/10th pass qualification and a maximum age of 23, offered a salary of Rs 22,530 per month on a three-year fixed-term contract. This incident mirrors a similar event in Gujarat on July 9, where a firm faced a stampede-like situation during a walk-in interview for 40 vacancies.