Following intense rain, the roof of the Delhi airport collapsed, leaving one person dead and eight injured. Videos on the internet depict massive roof-supporting pillars colliding with parked cars at Delhi Airport Terminal 1 of the airport. Civil aviation minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu informed the media at the airport that the collapse happened early on Friday at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, with authorities evacuating Terminal 1 and canceling flights until further notice. The incident occurred on Thursday at 05:00, or 23:30 GMT.
Delhi Airport Blames The Rain For The Incident
The fall at the domestic departure portion of the terminal injured at least eight individuals, according to Delhi Fire Services director Atul Garg. Broadcast footage from the terminal, which is primarily utilized by low-cost carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet for domestic flights, showed a cab crushed by a broken metal pillar at the entrance area. According to the airport administration, “heavy rain” was the cause of the collapse at 5 a.m. on Thursday (23:30 GMT).
The incident apparently caused damage to four automobiles and caused minor injuries to eight people. Airlines have been advised by India’s aviation regulator to provide refunds or accommodate passengers on other flights.
Since Terminal 1 is where the majority of domestic flights depart from, the accident has affected thousands of people’s travel plans. A few airlines have moved their flight operations to the airport’s two surviving terminals. A technical committee has been established, according to Delhi International Airport Limited authorities, to look into the accident’s cause. “We are working with all relevant agencies to assess the situation and restore operations,” they stated.
Travel Disruptions At Delhi Airport: Cancellations And Readjustments
Aviation industry experts state that over 200 flights are handled daily at Terminal 1 (T1), all of which are run by IndiGo and SpiceJet. “IndiGo accounted for roughly 80 percent of T1 flights, with SpiceJet operating the rest,” an airline official stated. The busiest airport in India, Delhi, has three terminals and serves 1,270 aircraft a day on average.
Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu declared compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the deceased and Rs 3 lakh for each injured after examining the fallen structure. “This building was constructed in 2009.” We have requested that DIAL (Delhi International Airport Limited) conduct an internal verification. We are not abandoning them. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a division of the ministry, is responsible for overseeing safety matters. They will oversee this inspection as well. They’ll also provide us with a report,” he declared.
All flights to and from Terminal 1 at the Delhi airport, run by the GMR Group-led DIAL, were canceled until 2:00 PM. According to the ministry, flights that were supposed to leave after 2:00 PM were moved to Terminals 2 and 3. At the other two terminals, this resulted in multiple cancellations and delays. On Friday, over 350 flights were canceled at the Delhi airport and nearly 350 were delayed, according to flightaware.com.
The Opposition Leverages The Situation
The incident happened months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened an airport renovation project. The airport is regarded as one of his most notable infrastructural undertakings. Concerns about safety and building regulations persist throughout the nation.
Naidu said, “The Prime Minister inaugurated a building that is on the other side (of T1). The roof that collapsed was built in 2009. We will do the necessary inspection now. This government will not tolerate any untoward attitude. If there are any lacunae, this government will surely take action.” “The entire T1 has been evacuated. There is no one inside. We will inspect the terminal tomorrow. The flight operations from T2 and T3 will continue,” he noted. The minister announced that an investigation into the collapse has been mandated.
Following the event, opposition lawmakers attacked the prime minister, charging that he was on an “inauguration spree” in advance of this month’s votes. “Will the Chief Inauguration Minister accept accountability for this subpar building job and this dishonest model?” stated Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the opposition Congress party’s general secretary.
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