Canopy at Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 partially collapses amid heavy rains

Delhi airport: The canopy at the arrival forecourt of the Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 partially collapsed on Sunday morning due to heavy rains and strong winds,a according to a source.

The revamped Terminal 1 (T1) was recently opened for flight operations at the national capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), which is also the country’s largest and busiest airport.

In a statement, airport operator DIAL said that as a part of the design’s natural response to extreme conditions and to prevent excessive water retention, a section of the external tensile fabric at the T1 arrival forecourt adjusted under pressure, thereby aiding in water dispersal.

The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) also said there was no structural compromise or impact to other parts of the terminal.

The statement did not directly mention about the canopy collapse.

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“Swift action was taken by the ground teams to restore normal conditions, ensuring safety and continuity of operations with minimal disruption,” it said.

The source said the canopy at the arrival forecourt of T1 partially collapsed and no one was injured.

As many as 49 flights, including 17 international flights, were diverted at the airport between 11:30 pm on Saturday and 4 am on Sunday, a source said earlier in the day.

In the statement, DIAL said the national capital experienced an intense thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall during the intervening night of May 24.

The city recorded over 80 mm of rain with wind speeds touching 70-80 km/h within a short span of 30 to 45 minutes around 2 am. The sudden and concentrated downpour led to temporary water accumulation in and around the airport briefly impacting operations, it said.

IGIA handles around 1,300 flight movements daily.

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In June last year, a canopy at the old departure forecourt of T1 partially collapsed amid heavy rains resulting in the death of a person and causing injuries to at least six people.

Meanwhile, in a post on X at 7 pm, DIAL said that due to inclement weather conditions and changing wind patterns, there might be an impact on flight operations at the airport.