Chaotic Scenes at Mumbai’s Kalina as Job Seekers Overwhelm Air India Recruitment Drive

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 17th July. Mumbai’s Kalina area witnessed scenes of chaos as thousands of job seekers flocked to the Air India Airport Services Ltd recruitment drive. The company had announced walk-in interviews for 2,238 vacancies for the roles of handyman and utility agents, leading to a stampede-like situation at Mumbai airport on Tuesday.

Despite the limited number of vacancies, the turnout exceeded expectations, causing the situation to spiral out of control outside the recruitment office. Authorities intervened to manage the large crowd, eventually requesting applicants to submit their application forms and leave.

A viral video on social media captured the magnitude of the chaos, showing a dense crowd outside the recruitment venue at Mumbai airport. The footage depicted desperate applicants surrounding form counters in hopes of securing a job opportunity. Air India had earlier notified and publicized the recruitment drive, drawing candidates from across Mumbai and Maharashtra who traveled by bus, train, and metro to participate.

The recruitment drive aimed to fill 2,216 positions for Handymen and 22 positions for Utility Agents. Handymen at Mumbai Airport handle tasks such as baggage and cargo handling, cabin cleaning, and wheelchair assistance, among other duties, with a monthly salary of Rs 22,530. Utility Agents are responsible for maintaining cleanliness in various airport areas, also offering a monthly salary of Rs 22,530.

This incident follows a similar chaotic scene in Bharuch, Gujarat, where over 1,800 candidates vied for 10 job positions recently, highlighting the intense competition in job markets despite specific recruitment requirements.

Videos circulating online showed the crowd filling staircases, leading to a railing collapse, fortunately resulting in no serious injuries due to the short distance to the ground.