Early Friday morning, a tragic incident unfolded at Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 1 in Delhi, as a portion of the forecourt canopy collapsed following heavy rainfall overnight. This unfortunate event resulted in one fatality and injuries to six individuals. Consequently, all flights departing from Terminal 1 were immediately suspended, causing significant disruptions in travel schedules across the capital.
The incident sparked a wave of social media reaction, with users drawing comparisons to Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport, renowned for its iconic HSBC Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor fountain. Memes and sarcastic posts flooded platforms, highlighting the stark contrast between the two airports’ infrastructure.
Changi Airport (Singapore) VS Delhi Airport #DelhiAirport #DelhiRains @AAI_Official pic.twitter.com/A9ouWqHEDp
— Aditya Gupta (@AdityaVgupta) June 28, 2024
Changi Airport ❌️ Delhi Airport ✅️
No need to go for Singapore, just go to Delhi and enjoy 😍#DelhiRains #delhirain #DelhiAirport #Panauti pic.twitter.com/tTgDM5ib6M
— Mr Vishal (@SimplyMeVishal) June 28, 2024
Same same but different;
Changi Airport (Singapore 🇸🇬)
Delhi Airport (India 🇮🇳)#DelhiAirport #DelhiRains #Terminal1 #delhirain #Parliament #rains #Roofcollapse pic.twitter.com/W0efeTBThi— Neha Bisht (@neha_bisht12) June 28, 2024
Delhi’s airport, a crucial hub handling 72 million passengers annually, had recently undergone upgrades aimed at increasing its capacity to accommodate 40 million passengers per year, underlining the critical nature of this facility in global aviation.
This Delhi airport was ranked the best in the world by an Indian survey company paid by the Indian government. Conflict of interests? pic.twitter.com/KkLAh6THWY
— Jayant Bhandari (@JayantBhandari5) June 28, 2024
When Singapore Changi airport has a water fountain, everyone goes gaga over it. When Delhi airport has a fountain, everyone has issues with it https://t.co/2K48QWkzAf pic.twitter.com/aJh77LhX4X
— Banrakas 🌏 (@noyes99) June 28, 2024
This incident underscores ongoing concerns about infrastructure maintenance and preparedness in the face of adverse weather conditions, prompting reflections on the contrasting facilities and responses observed globally.
The situation at Delhi Airport remains fluid, with authorities and stakeholders engaged in efforts to assess damage, restore operations, and address public safety concerns in the aftermath of this tragic event.