Airport Roof Collapse Kills 1, Injures 8 in India

Roof Collapse at Indian Airport Leaves 1 Dead, 8 Injured

One person died and eight were injured when the roof of Terminal 1 at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport collapsed due to heavy rains, raising concerns about safety and construction standards.

A tragic incident occurred at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday, June 28, when the roof of Terminal 1 partially collapsed due to heavy rains, resulting in one fatality and eight injuries.

The incident happened early in the morning, prompting authorities to evacuate the terminal and cancel several domestic flights until 2 pm. Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed the death during a briefing at the airport.

At least eight people were injured in the collapse, which occurred in the terminal's domestic departure area, according to Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Services. The airport authority attributed the collapse to heavy rain, which caused the roof to cave in at around 5 am on Thursday.

The incident resulted in significant disruptions to airport operations, with several flights cancelled and many passengers affected. An investigation into the incident is likely to follow to determine the cause of the collapse and prevent such incidents in the future.

In addition to the roof collapse, support beams also gave way, causing damage to cars in the pick-up and drop-off area at Terminal 1. The airport received an unusually heavy downpour of 148.5mm of rain over just three hours, exceeding the average rainfall for the entire month of June.

The deluge was part of the annual monsoon season, which arrived after a prolonged heatwave, causing flooding in various parts of the capital. The collapse raises concerns about safety and construction standards in the country, particularly given the airport's reputation as one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship infrastructure projects.

The affected roof was part of an older building, opened in 2009, while the newly inaugurated building by Modi is located on the other side of the airport, according to Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, who visited the scene. Naidu announced that an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the collapse and determine its cause.

The incident highlights the need for rigorous safety standards and quality construction to prevent such incidents in the future. The inquiry's findings will be crucial in addressing these concerns and ensuring the safety of passengers and airport operations.

 

“Emergency personnel are working to provide all necessary assistance and medical aid to those affected,” the authority stated.

Opposition politicians slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for prioritizing ribbon-cutting ceremonies over safety and quality, alleging that his haste to inaugurate projects before the recent polls compromised standards, as evident in the airport roof collapse.

“Will the Chief Inauguration Minister take responsibility for this poor construction work and this corrupt model.” said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary of the opposition Congress party.