Tuesday, January 31 2006 18:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: With the threat by airport employees to strike work to protest the 'privatisation' of Delhi and Mumbai airports looming large, government could consider imposing Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to prevent any disruption of air traffic.

Sources said the option to impose ESMA was open in case the employees went on a flash strike. However, no decision has been taken as yet.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry headquarters at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan here, which also houses the Airports Authority of India (AAI) head office, was under a virtual siege by police and paramilitary personnel, even as hundreds of employees gathered there for a lunch-hour demonstration.

The AAI officers and employees, under the umbrella body of AAI Employees Joint Forum, have threatened to go on a flash strike if the financial bids are opened without considering the alternative plan for modernising the two metro airports.