Delhi T-1 Roof Collapse: Aviation Minister Orders Structural Audit of All Airports, Denounces Opposition’s Fake News Claims

Delhi T-1 Roof Collapse: Aviation Minister Orders Structural Audit of All Airports, Denounces Opposition’s Fake News Claims

Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has promised proactive steps in the aftermath of the roof collapse event at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-1, stating that a structural preliminary examination will be conducted nationwide. Naidu stated that the government requested a report from all airports within 2–5 days, after which appropriate precautions will be taken to prevent such collapse accidents.

“To avoid such situations in the future, we will conduct structural preliminary inspections at all airports. We have requested a report from all airports throughout the country within 2–5 days, after which we will determine what actions are required to prevent such situations,” Naidu told the news agency. His comments came in the aftermath of the Delhi Airport canopy fall event, which killed a 45-year-old taxi driver and wounded eight others.

The minister also conveyed his sympathies for the departed soul, saying, “The tragedy that occurred at the Delhi airport is really unfortunate, and I send my condolences to the one man who died. Some people were also hurt in the event; they were brought to the hospital, and their treatment is ongoing.” The aviation minister announced that a war room has been established to guarantee reimbursements or replacement flights for travellers impacted by the incident during his remarks regarding preventive measures. In addition, he promised individuals whose flights were cancelled a refund within seven days or a substitute flight.

“At this time, Terminal 1 is evacuated and fully closed. Terminals 2 and 3 are now the new locations for all flight movements. People whose flights have been cancelled are being offered a refund or a different flight. The Civil Aviation Ministry has resolved to issue a directive directing refunds to individuals in seven days.”

“War rooms have been established at Terminals 2 and 3 to guarantee this occurs. Regarding this, the Ministry has issued a statement that includes all the numbers. “We have dispatched one of the officers to the war rooms to handle it,” he continued. “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,” added Naidu. In addition, he denounced the opposing Congress for engaging in petty politics and disseminating false information regarding the unfortunate event.

“I am quite taken aback by the opposition’s attempt to politicize this matter by claiming that PM Modi inaugurated this terminal, while in reality, they are disseminating false information. In another terminal, PM Modi dedicated a structurally sound building. The structure that collapsed had a roof that was originally constructed in 2009. The structure is fifteen years old; therefore, it is not a good precedent to use this as an opportunity to poke fun at the government, he said.

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Terminal 1 operations, which accommodate about 200 aircraft daily, have been suspended indefinitely due to the collapse of the canopy. Allegations of negligence resulting in death have been filed with the police. A roof at the former departure forecourt of Terminal 1 partially collapsed on Friday at five in the morning, according to Delhi Airport, which is run by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL). It is thought that strong winds and rain were the reasons for the collapse, while the exact cause is yet unknown. A technical committee has also been formed by the DIAL to look into the incident’s cause. A compensation of ₹20 lakh has been announced by the ministry for the families of the dead and ₹3 lakh for each individual who had minor injuries.