An incident occurred at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 1, where the roof collapsed, resulting in the death of a 45-year-old cab driver and injuries to eight others. This unfortunate event has prompted Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu to take immediate action to prevent such incidents in the future.
Minister Naidu assured the public that a structural preliminary inspection would be carried out at all airports across the country. He emphasized that the ministry has requested reports from all airports within 2-5 days. Based on these reports, necessary measures will be taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the canopy collapse incident at Delhi airport T-1, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu says, " Incident that happened at the Delhi airport is very tragic…we have taken control of the situation. Terminal-1 is completely closed…all the… pic.twitter.com/NztdITb8uP
— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2024
To support affected passengers, a war room has been set up to ensure refunds or alternate flights for those whose flights were canceled due to the incident. Minister Naidu guaranteed that refunds would be processed within seven days. Additionally, he mentioned that all flight operations from Terminal 1 have been moved to Terminals 2 and 3.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has issued a circular to airlines, instructing them not to increase ticket prices during this period. This measure is intended to prevent price hikes that often occur in the wake of such incidents.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), which operates the airport, stated that the collapse occurred at the old departure forecourt of Terminal 1. Heavy rainfall and winds are suspected to be the cause. A technical committee has been formed to investigate the incident. The ministry has announced compensation of ₹20 lakh for the family of the deceased and ₹3 lakh for each of the injured individuals.
#WATCH | Delhi: On the canopy collapse incident at Delhi airport T-1, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu says, "Sadly, a life was lost in the incident…we will be giving Rs 20 lakhs ex-gratia to the family of the victim, all injured will get Rs 3 lakhs… pic.twitter.com/ypuG4TwEye
— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2024
Minister Naidu criticized the opposition Congress for allegedly spreading fake news and politicizing the tragedy. He clarified that the collapsed building was an old structure inaugurated in 2009 and not a new one inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi.
The collapse at Terminal 1 has led to the suspension of operations, affecting around 200 flights daily. The police have registered a case on charges of causing death by negligence. The ministry’s swift actions aim to prevent future incidents and support affected passengers during this challenging time.
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