With raining orders, BATL finally signals arrival of good times | ISRO gets 100th Vikas engine

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore:  Inspired by an increasing order-book, probably signaling the arrival of 'good times,' the BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd now wants to steer clear BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (BATL) of all man-made mess. This follows a spate of internal dissidence by a small section of employees rooting for a trade union – a move put aside by the Kerala Government by exempting BATL out of the ambit of the Trade Union Act.

Sources now admit to Express that the decision to stop trade union activities has created a lot of discomfort to some employees. “After the BrahMos take over of KELTEC, many roles have undergone changes, which is the root cause of all problems. But these changes are inevitable for the growth of a Company. We are now talking with confidence about Kerala possibly making one of the best supersonic missiles in the world and this requires a professional roll call,” sources said.

With raining orders from multiple aerospace and defence firms in India, sources say that Kerala will be the biggest beneficiary, if BATL is allowed to work professionally. “Patience is the key and the defence industry is no child's play. It can't be run with union rifts and other unacceptable work culture. Let the BATL grow, along with it the employees will grow and the State too will grow. We are making missiles and not paper planes. It is a serious business," sources said. 

Sources say that last year the BATL gave Rs 17,000 as ex-gratia to every employee, irrespective of the class, despite the Company not making much profit. But the employees are now demanding a salary on par with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). “Kerala is a charged place and we know the sensitives involved in dealing with people. In the last couple of years we have seen BATL streamlining the workforce and documentation of processes. They (BATL) have added so many new machines worth over Rs 40 crore. More people have joined. Today we have been informed that the Company doesn't have any liabilities and have paid back all the loans,” sources said.

Sources say that Delhi is keen to have one single union without any external influence. “We are not averse to employees having a joint platform, but it has to be one that aids Company's growth and brand image. With additional orders, the the Industry in Kerala will be biggest winner as BATL moves forward,” sources said.

100th Vikas engine: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) received its 100th Vikas engine on Monday (Jan 30). The engine was handed over to the director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at a low-key event at BATL. It was the 20th Vikas engine manufactured by BATL and 100th ISRO received so far. Vikas engine plays a crucial role during the lift-off of space vehicles (GSLV & PSLV).  Another 10 more units are to be delivered by BATL and it is the only Company that manufactures the complete engine under one roof. Each engine is worth about Rs 1 crore.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

COMING SOON: Brahmastras from the land of Sree Padmanabhaswamy! BrahMos likely to be integrated at Thiruvananthapuram, minus warheads & propellants | Julius Zacharias is new BATL boss

By Anantha Krishnan M & Tiki Rajwi

Express News Service

Bangalore\T'puram: The land of Sree Padmanabhaswamy is likely to roll out swift and sure Brahmastras that will ensure a kill-job as clean as a whistle. As a pointer to this delayed, yet dynamic project, a low-key bhoomi puja was conducted on January 27, at a piece of land recently 'acquired' by BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (BATL), in Chakkai, next to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. If all goes well, Ananthapuri will be the next address for India's supersonic-stealth cruise missile BrahMos.

Kept under wraps for reasons best known to BATL officials, the boomi puja was attended by A Sivathanu Pillai, BrahMos Aerospace CEO; V G Sekhar, Director, ASL, Hyderabad; Vishnu Kartha, Executive Director, BATL; Rear Admiral (Retd) Mohapatra, Executive Director, BrahMos Production, Hyderabad and the BATL Workmen Welfare Committee members. 

Sources confirm to Express that within a year, the complete building blocks for a Missile Integration Complex (MIC) will be in place. “BATL has taken the Air Force Complex land and Vishal Infrastructure Ltd (who undertook the Thiruvananthapuram airport work) has been entrusted with the mandate of completing the work on a war-footing. A total of 20,000 sq feet has been earmarked for the project, taken as part of BATL Phase-II expansion plans,”a senior defence official said.

The MIC will undertake the complete integration of BrahMos missile, sans warhead fixing and propellent filling jobs. “Once the dry integration is done at BATL, the missile can be taken to the adjacent airport and airlifted in special flights to Nagpur for warhead and propellent integration. There are plans to have a secure road-link to the runway,” sources said.

This will be the second MIC for BrahMos, with the first being already functional inside the Missile Complex in Hyderabad.     

BATL gets new boss: Rear Admiral (Retd) Julius Zacharias is the new head of BATL and will assume office on February 1. His appointment as Managing Director was ratified by the BATL Board which met on January 27. With a spate of internal dissidence from a section of employees demanding the formation of trade union, the decision to elevate BATL's chief's post from ED to MD is an indication he getting more disciplinary powers. The Kerala government had recently exempted BATL from the ambit of Trade Unions Act.  Zacharias  was attached to BrahMos MIC in Hyderabad last year as an Officer on Special Duty. The current BATL chief Vishnu Kartha completes his four-year tenure this month end and will go back to his parent body – Indian Space Research Organisation.

(Copyright@The New Indian Express)