Delhi Airport News: Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu faces his first challenge as the Union Civil Aviation Minister. The Opposition targeted Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a portion of the roof outside Terminal-1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi collapsed and killed a person. The Opposition alleged that the expanded section of the Terminal was inaugurated by PM Modi during his election campaign in March and it has collapsed now.


Compensation For Victims, Refunds For Passengers 


Naidu announced a compensation Rs 20 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh for the injured. The accident forced the airport authorities to suspend all operations at Terminal-1. This caused severe inconvenience to passengers. An airport spokesperson said all departures from Terminal 1 had been temporarily suspended till at least 2 PM and check-in counters had been closed as a safety measure.


Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advised airlines to provide passengers with alternative flights or offer full refunds. 


The suspension of flight operations Terminal-1 also forced cancellations of some flights. News agency PTI quoted an IndiGo spokesperson as saying: "Passengers already inside the terminal will be able to board their planned flights, but those with flights later in the day will be offered alternatives."


SpiceJet in an X post said flights impacted by the suspension of operation at Terminal 1 were being re-accommodated to Terminal 3.






Congress Targets PM Modi-Led Centre Over Delhi Airport Roof Collapse


Sharing a post by a journalist who pointed out that PM Modi inaugurated the expanded departure section of T1 in March, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said: "On March 11, 2024, as part of His election campaign if I recall during His inauguration spree."


Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Modi government and said: "Corruption and criminal negligence is responsible for the collapse of shoddy infrastructure falling like a deck of cards, in the past 10 years of Modi Govt." "On March 10th, when Modi ji inaugurated the Delhi Airport T1, he called himself 'Doosri mitti ka insaan'... Our heartfelt condolences to the victims of the Delhi airport tragedy. They bore the brunt of a Corrupt, Inept and Selfish Govt," Kharge said in an X post.






Civil Aviation Minister Clarifies


Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Friday said that the portion that collapsed is an old part of the airport building. "We are taking this incident seriously... The building inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi is on the other side and the building that collapsed here is an old building and was opened in 2009," he said.






To this, however, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said: "For 10 years it was under their upkeeping, despite that it couldn't sustain the first rain. Modi govt will meet a similar fate, they are fully responsible for it."




Naidu further said, "...A section of the canopy which is outside of the airport has collapsed due to heavy rains. We express our condolence to the life that has been lost in this tragic incident, four people have also been injured. So we are taking care of them right now. We immediately sent the emergency response team, the fire safety team and also the CISF, and NDRF teams. Everyone was available at the site and they did a thorough inspection so that no other casualties were there. So right now, the situation is under control. The rest of the terminal building has been closed and everything is being thoroughly inspected so that there is no further untoward incident here..."






READ ON ABP LIVE | Delhi Airport Roof Collapse Kills One, Terminal Ops Suspended