Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu addressed the recent Delhi Airport canopy collapse incident with a focus on proactive measures and support for affected individuals. He announced the establishment of a dedicated war room aimed at ensuring quick refunds or alternate flights for passengers impacted by the incident. Naidu emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to preventing such incidents in the future, expressing condolences for the loss of life and injuries sustained.
Regarding the incident, Naidu stated, “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.”
He reassured the public that the situation was promptly addressed, stating, “We have taken control of the situation and as soon as the incident was reported, all the emergency response teams including teams of NDRF and CISF immediately went to the spot and engaged in the relief operations to prevent any further damage.”
In terms of passenger support, Naidu guaranteed, “For now, Terminal-1 is completely closed and evacuated. All the flight movements have been shifted to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. For those people whose flights have been canceled, 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.”
To facilitate these efforts, he mentioned the setup of war rooms at Terminals 2 and 3, ensuring efficient coordination. Naidu also addressed concerns about fare hikes following such incidents, stating, “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.”
Looking forward, the Minister highlighted preventive actions, including bringing in experts from IIT Delhi for structural inspections across airports. He added, “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.”
In response to the incident, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) formed a technical committee to investigate the cause, attributing the collapse partially to heavy rainfall. Immediate rescue operations were undertaken, with support from various agencies, to ensure the safety and well-being of all affected individuals.
As a result of the incident, flight operations at Terminal 1 have been suspended temporarily, with plans to resume operations from Terminals 2 and 3 once safety is assured. The Delhi Airport administration extended support to affected individuals and their families, offering compensation to the family of the deceased and medical assistance to those injured.
This comprehensive approach underscores the Ministry’s commitment to safety and swift response in handling such critical incidents at airports across India.