(Image source from: Twitter.com/ANI)
At least one person was killed and six injured when the roof of Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 (T1) collapsed on cars amid heavy rain this morning. After inspecting the airport, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said all scheduled flights from the terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, have been canceled until 2pm today. According to officials, roof panels and support beams collapsed, damaging four cars parked in the terminal area. The incident was reported to the Delhi Fire Department (DFS) around 5:30 am. During the rescue operation, a man was seen thrown out of the taxi with a fallen iron rod. Newly elected Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu said in a statement that flights scheduled to depart after 2 p.m. will be operated from the airport's other two terminals, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.
After the collapse of the T1 terminal this morning, I personally evacuated the scene of the accident. There will be a full refund or the option to rebook to another flight or route from T3. He added: We confirm that a full review of the terminal structure will be carried out by experts to ensure safety. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "closely monitoring" the situation and assured us of his full support. After visiting Delhi airport with reporters, he described the incident as "very serious" and announced payment of compensation of Rs 2 million to the victim's family and Rs 3 million to the injured. T1 only handles domestic flights through IndiGo and SpiceJet and the airport handles around 1,400 flights daily. IndiGo has announced that flight operations have been affected due to structural damage at Delhi Airport's Terminal 1.
The low-cost airline said in a statement that flights to Delhi were canceled due to the incident as "passengers were unable to enter the terminal". "Passengers already at the terminal can board their scheduled flights, but those departing later will be provided with alternative routes," an IndiGo spokesperson said. “This unplanned situation led to disruptions throughout the network. Customers are advised to track and confirm their flight status before heading to the airport,” it said. SpiceJet has canceled its flights until further notice. "Please check our social media channels for further updates," the airline told passengers. It is raining heavily in Delhi today for the second day. The rain, softened by the scorching sun, led to floods in several areas of the state capital. Footage published by news agency ANI X showed flooded roads and long traffic jams in parts of Delhi. The car submerged on Minto Road. According to the meteorological department, Delhi recorded 228 mm of rain between 8:30 am yesterday and 8:30 am today.
