Centre issues show cause notice to Delhi airport on roof collapse that killed one

Show cause notice issued to DIAL by AAI after IIT-Delhi audit finds structural deficiencies in Delhi airport roof collapse.

The Union government has sent a show cause notice to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), following the collapse of a roof at one of its passenger buildings in June, after an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi audit report found structural deficiencies, a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation said. The show cause notice has been served by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

Terminal 1, one of the three passenger buildings at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, was shut for flight operations in late June after heavy rains caused the canopy in the forecourt area to collapse, killing one person. A section of Terminal 1 was reopened on August 17, while an older section within the same premises, which had come under scrutiny after the incident, remains barricaded. The old section cannot be opened yet, the official said.

“The IIT Delhi study has found that certain strengthening is required. The defects have to be corrected. Weaknesses were also found in the parts that did not cave in,” the official added, referring to a report submitted by a team of experts from IIT-Delhi, who were appointed to examine the roof collapse.

“The report of the study conducted by IIT-Delhi has been shared with us. The AAI wanted some clarifications on the points raised by them. Our team of experts is currently preparing a comprehensive response to these queries, and they will be submitted within the stipulated timeline,” an official spokesperson of DIAL said in response to a query.