Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 (T1) roof collapsed due to intense rain, and it is expected to be closed for one month. Before operations could continue, a thorough technical evaluation was necessary due to the accident.
Structural engineers from IIT Delhi are now working on a study to assess T1’s structural integrity and safety. A senior government source told PTI that the evaluation is anticipated to take over a month, after which a decision regarding the terminal’s reopening would be taken.
Terminal 1 at Delhi Airport Closed for One Month: 10 Key Points To Know
- Roof Collapse at Delhi Airport T1: The roof of Terminal 1 (T1) at Delhi Airport collapsed due to heavy rain, resulting in a temporary closure for one month.
- Fatalities and Injuries: The collapse led to the death of one person and injured six others.
- Technical Evaluation Needed: Operations at T1 will resume only after a thorough technical evaluation, expected to take over a month, is completed.
- IIT Delhi’s Involvement: Structural engineers from IIT Delhi are conducting a study to assess the terminal’s structural integrity and safety.
- Flight Relocation: Domestic flights originally handled by T1 for SpiceJet and IndiGo have been moved to Terminals 2 (T2) and 3 (T3).
- DIAL’s Management and Response: The GMR Group-led consortium DIAL, which manages T2 and T3, is working with stakeholders to ensure operational continuity and passenger safety.
- Impact on Operations: IndiGo has moved 72 flights to T2 and T3, while SpiceJet has rescheduled its Delhi flights from T3 until July 7.
- Extreme Weather Highlighted: The incident underscores the impact of extreme weather, with Delhi recording 228.1 mm of rain in a single day, the most for June in over 85 years.
- Safety and Structural Integrity Checks: DIAL and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are investigating the cause and implications of the collapse, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) aiming to improve safety procedures.
- Temporary Closure for Safety: T1 remains closed to ensure passenger safety and operational resilience while awaiting the results of technical research and investigations.
T1, which handled domestic flights for SpiceJet and IndiGo, has temporarily ceased operations. The GMR Group-led consortium DIAL is in charge of managing Terminals 2 (T2) and 3 (T3) at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which is now home to all of the originally planned flights at T1. With IndiGo moving 72 flights to T2 and T3, and SpiceJet rescheduling its Delhi flights from Terminal 3 till July 7, the change guarantees flight operations continuity.
DIAL’s cross-functional teams work with stakeholders to evaluate and handle the issue, but they are committed to maintaining operational continuity and passenger safety at T2 and T3, according to a spokeswoman. The recent expansion of T1’s ability to handle 40 million passengers a year, together with its shutdown, emphasizes that all operations are now on hold until further notice.
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The episode highlights the effects of extreme weather as well. At Safdarjung, Delhi recorded a staggering 228.1 mm of rain in a single day, the most for June in over 85 years, whereas the average over the previous three decades was just 75.2 mm.
To determine the incident’s cause and ramifications, DIAL called a technical committee and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is looking into it. It is the goal of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to improve safety procedures and reduce potential hazards by mandating structural integrity checks at all airports.
In order to protect passenger safety and operational resilience in the face of severe weather, T1 is temporarily closed while stakeholders await the results of the technical research and investigations.
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