June 28, 2024: A devastating incident unfolded at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport when heavy rainfall led to the collapse of a section of the roof at Terminal 1 (T1), resulting in one fatality and injuries to six others. The collapse occurred at 5 a.m. in the departures area of T1, crushing several cars parked below. This tragic event happened as the national capital experienced relentless downpours, with the Safdarjung weather station recording a staggering 153.7 mm of rainfall starting around 3 a.m.
Terminal 1, used exclusively for domestic flight operations by airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet, is managed by the Delhi International Airport Limited. This entity is a joint venture between GMR Airports Limited (64%), the Airports Authority of India (26%), and Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide (10%). Due to the structural damage caused by the collapse, all departing flights of IndiGo and SpiceJet from T1 were canceled until 2 p.m. Consequently, later departures and arrivals were redirected to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 to ensure passenger safety and continuity of operations.
Passengers already inside Terminal 1 at the time of the collapse boarded their planned flights without significant delays. However, those with flights scheduled later in the day had alternative options. IndiGo Airlines issued advisories to passengers, urging them to check their website for information on alternate flights and the refund process to manage the disruption caused by the incident effectively