The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has asked at least 4,000 of itsemployees working at the Delhi and Mumbai airports to either opt for thevoluntary retirement scheme (VRS) or work at other AAI-owned airports, anofficial said Wednesday.

The AAI official, who did not want to beidentified, told IANS that the decision has to be implemented at the earliestand such VRS offers will be made to employees in some other airports also.

When the Delhi and Mumbai airports were privatised in 2006, the developers -Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd -had agreed to retain 2,000 employees at each airport for the first three years,which end in the first week of May this year.

All India Airports Employees Union (AIAEU) general secretary M.K. Ghoshal toldIANS that the union has already moved the Delhi High Court, challenging the AAIdecision.

The court will hear the appeal March 19, he said.The proposed VRS plan isexpected to cost the AAI Rs.10 billion (Rs.1,000 crore), officials said.However,under the the terms of their agreements with the government, the privatedevelopers of the Delhi and Mumbai airports would have to bear part of the VRScosts.