Delhi airport’s primary domestic terminal is expected to remain closed for several weeks after a canopy at Terminal 1 (T-1) collapsed last week, according to sources cited by Reuters on Monday.
Last Friday, a section of the roof, canopy, and several beams at Terminal 1 collapsed due to heavy rains in the national capital, resulting in one fatality and eight injuries. This incident also led to the cancellation and rescheduling of several flights.
Delhi Airport comprises three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3. The recently expanded Terminal 1, with a capacity to handle 40 million passengers annually, is used by budget carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet for domestic flights.
The temporary closure of Terminal 1 is expected to increase the load on the other two terminals, which also handle domestic flights. According to a source at GMR Airports Infrastructure, which operates the airport, the closure could last a few weeks if the damage is minor, but it may extend beyond a month if the problem is more severe. The source emphasized that the terminal will not reopen until all necessary checks are completed.
GMR, in a statement, said it was “too early” to determine when Terminal 1 could resume operations.
Delhi airport handles 1,400 flights daily across its three terminals. Flight operations from Terminal 1 were already limited to less than 15% of the total as they were gradually resuming after recent expansions and refurbishments.
Over the past three days, approximately 21,690 passengers from IndiGo and 925 from SpiceJet have been affected, with around 90 flights moved to other terminals. Refunds have been processed for 9,972 passengers, including 9,431 from IndiGo and 541 from SpiceJet, according to a report by Hindustan Times.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu visited the Delhi airport’s Operations Control Centre (AOCC) today to oversee ongoing operations. He held a meeting with senior officials from various aviation bodies, including the DGCA, BCAS, and DIAL, to manage the transition of flights from Terminal 1 to Terminals 2 and 3 and ensure smooth operations.
On the microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Naidu stated, “Inspected the AOCC at IGI Airport. I convened with senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, BCAS, DIAL, and airline operators to review current operations and passenger handling following the transition of flights from T1 to T2 and T3.”
