Delhi Airport Canopy Collapse Incident: Overview and Response

The Delhi Airport canopy collapse incident occurred at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-1, resulting in the death of a 45-year-old cab driver and injuries to eight others. The partial collapse of the roof at the old departure forecourt happened around 5 am on Friday, with initial suspicions attributing it to heavy rainfall and winds. The police have registered a case on charges of causing death by negligence.

Government Response

Structural Inspections

In response to the incident, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu assured that proactive measures would be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The minister announced that structural preliminary inspections would be conducted at all airports across the country. The ministry has sought reports from all airports within 2-5 days, upon which necessary measures will be implemented.

"We will ensure getting a structural preliminary inspection done at all airports. We have sought a report from all the airports across the country within 2-5 days, upon which we will see what necessary measures are needed to be taken to prevent such incidents in the future," Naidu said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Condolences and Compensation

The minister expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased and acknowledged the injuries sustained by others. He stated that the injured individuals were receiving treatment at the hospital. The ministry announced a compensation of ₹20 lakh to the family of the deceased and ₹3 lakh each to those with minor injuries.

"The incident that happened at the Delhi airport is very tragic and I offer my condolences to the one individual who lost his life. Some people were injured also in the incident, they have been taken to the hospital and their treatment is underway," said Naidu.

Passenger Assistance Measures

Terminal Closure and Flight Operations

Following the incident, Terminal-1 has been completely closed and evacuated. All flight movements have been redirected to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. To assist passengers affected by flight cancellations, the ministry has guaranteed refunds within seven days or alternative flight arrangements.

"For those people whose flights have been cancelled, they are being given either a refund or an alternate flight. The Civil Aviation Ministry has decided to pass a circular to provide refunds to the people within seven days," Naidu stated.

War Rooms

To facilitate these measures, the ministry has set up war rooms at Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. These war rooms are staffed by officers to ensure the smooth processing of refunds and rebookings. The ministry has released a statement containing all necessary contact numbers for affected passengers.

"We have set up war rooms at Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. The Ministry has released a statement regarding this which has all the numbers. We are taking care of it and have placed one of the officers in the war rooms," added Naidu.

Fare Regulation

In anticipation of potential fare hikes following the incident, the ministry has issued a circular to airlines, instructing them not to increase ticket prices. This measure aims to protect passengers from exploitation during this period of disruption.

"When such incidents occur, there is an increase in air fares, so we have issued another circular to airlines on not increasing the fare of the tickets and maintaining the prices," said Naidu.

Opposition Criticism

Minister Naidu criticized the opposition Congress for politicizing the incident and spreading misinformation. He clarified that the collapsed canopy was part of an older structure, inaugurated in 2009, not the new terminal building inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I am a little surprised that the opposition wants to do politics on this kind of issue by saying this is a terminal inaugurated by PM Modi but it is fake news they are spreading. PM Modi inaugurated a building in another terminal and it is intact. The roof of the building that collapsed is an old building inaugurated in 2009. It is a 15-year-old building...using this situation to take a dig at the govt is not a good precedent," he said.

Investigation and Technical Committee

The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates the airport, has constituted a technical committee to investigate the cause of the collapse. The ministry's efforts are focused on ensuring that such incidents do not recur and that the safety and well-being of passengers are prioritized.

In conclusion, the Delhi Airport canopy collapse has prompted swift action from the Civil Aviation Ministry, including structural inspections, compensation for victims, and measures to assist affected passengers. The ministry's proactive approach aims to enhance safety protocols and prevent future incidents.