This morning, amidst torrential rainfall, the canopy and a large metal girder at the entrance for pick-ups and drop-offs outside Terminal 1 of Delhi airport gave way.
New Delhi:A tragic incident occurred at Delhi’s airport this morning where the roof at the entry and exit area of terminal 1 collapsed amid intense rainfall, causing the death of one person and injuring six others. In light of this grave event, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu assured journalists that the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will an in-depth investigation.
The area, which included a large metal beam, witnessed the collapse early today, prompting airport authorities to halt all operations from terminal 1. Minister Naidu also stated that passengers affected by canceled flights from this terminal will receive a complete refund.
During a subsequent conversation with the media, Naidu responded to observations about rust on some beams, indicating that it was premature to draw any conclusions and that further examinations are underway by airport officials as well as separate investigations by the ministry and the DGCA.
It was noted that the now-collapsed canopy of terminal 1 was erected back in 2008-09, with GMR overseeing the construction through private subcontractors, as per government insiders reported by NDTV. This collapse garnered political attention when Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized the timing of its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, implicating the terminal’s failure as a result of long-standing corruption and negligence during the last decade under Modi’s leadership.
However, Minister Naidu clarified that Prime Minister Modi inaugurated a different building, not terminal 1, highlighting misinformation in the claims. He emphasized that it was during the tenure of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government when the canopy construction and its inauguration took place.
