New Delhi, India: A tragic incident unfolded at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport this morning as heavy rainfall caused a portion of Terminal 1’s roof to collapse, leading to one fatality and six injuries. The incident occurred around 5:30 am, damaging several cars parked in the terminal’s pick-up and drop area.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation promptly responded, announcing the temporary suspension of all departures from Terminal 1, which exclusively handles domestic flights operated by IndiGo and SpiceJet. In a statement, the ministry cited safety concerns and assured that alternate arrangements are being made to ensure minimal disruption to flight operations.
Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu visited the scene, describing the incident as “very serious.” He announced compensation of ₹20 lakh for the victim’s family and ₹3 lakh each for the injured. Terminal operations will be shifted temporarily to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.
IndiGo and SpiceJet, affected by the structural damage, have cancelled flights departing from Terminal 1. IndiGo emphasized that passengers already inside the terminal would be accommodated on their scheduled flights, while others would be offered alternative arrangements. SpiceJet advised passengers to monitor their flight status through their social media channels.
The Delhi Fire Services responded swiftly to the incident, and rescue operations successfully extracted individuals from the affected area. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse, which disrupted one of the busiest airports globally, handling approximately 1,400 flight movements daily.
