rain-damages-delhi-t1-canopy-flights-disrupted

A heavy thunderstorm accompanied by intense rainfall caused damage to the canopy at the arrival forecourt of Terminal 1 (T1) at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport early on Sunday, leading to major disruptions.

 

While there were no structural damages reported, operations at India’s busiest airport were significantly impacted, with 49 flights diverted and more than 650 experiencing delays.

 

Footage circulating widely on social media showed rainwater forcefully pouring through a torn section of the tensile fabric covering the terminal’s forecourt.

 

The incident has raised concerns, coming less than a year after a tragic collapse of a steel-and-concrete canopy at the same terminal, which resulted in the death of a cab driver and left eight others injured.

 

A panel appointed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had previously found the earlier collapse to be the result of faulty design, substandard workmanship, and poor maintenance.

 

According to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the city received over 80 mm of rainfall in a short span, accompanied by wind speeds of 70 to 80 kilometres per hour in the early hours around 2 am.

 

“This sudden and intense downpour caused temporary water accumulation in and around the IGI Airport, momentarily affecting operations,” said DIAL in a statement. “As part of the design’s natural response to extreme conditions, and to avoid excessive water retention, a section of the external tensile fabric at the T1 arrival forecourt adjusted under pressure, facilitating the dispersal of rainwater.”

 

DIAL further assured that there was no structural compromise to the rest of the terminal. Ground teams were swiftly mobilised to restore normal conditions and ensure safety and continuity in operations, the statement added.

 

From 11:30 pm on Saturday to 4:00 am on Sunday, a total of 49 flights — including 17 international services — were diverted.

 

Data from the flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 revealed that between midnight and 6:30 pm on Sunday, there were 196 delayed arrivals and 453 delayed departures. This marked a notable increase from the 100 delayed arrivals and 351 delayed departures recorded the previous day.

 

Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimates that Delhi’s IGI Airport handles approximately 1,265 flights daily, making it the busiest airport in the country.