New Delhi, Jun 28 (IANS): Hours after the Delhi airport roof collapse, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu convened a high-level review meeting on Friday with key officials to address the ongoing situation and ensure passenger safety.
The Civil Aviation Ministry issued an advisory to airlines after a section of Terminal 1's roof collapsed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, advising them against imposing any "abnormal additional surcharges" on flights to and from Delhi.
"In view of the unfortunate incident at Terminal T1D IGIA, Delhi, all airlines are advised to monitor any abnormal surge in airfares to and from Delhi and take necessary action regarding the same. Further, cancellations and rescheduling of flights due to the incident may be done without penal charges," the Ministry said in a post on X.
In another significant decision during the meeting, a 24/7 War Room will be established under the close supervision of the Civil Aviation Ministry.
This War Room aims to expedite full refunds for cancelled flights, ensuring processing within 7 days.
Furthermore, the Ministry has instructed the Airports Authority of India to circulate a directive to all minor and major airports, mandating comprehensive inspections of structural integrity.
Structural Engineers from IIT Delhi have also been asked to immediately assess the incident at Delhi T 1.
Further examination will be decided based on their initial findings.
Similarly, the AAI will have the Jabalpur incident examined.
Earlier, the Civil Aviation Ministry halted all flights departing from Terminal 1 at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.
At approximately 5 a.m. on Friday morning, a portion of the roof sheet and its supporting pillars collapsed, causing the death of one person and injuring at least six others.
This incident severely disrupted flight operations at the airport, which ranks among the world's busiest airports.
Soon after the incident, Naidu rushed to the airport and inspected the site.
Talking to the media there, the Minister said: "We will conduct a thorough check on all the airports that come under our purview... we will make the necessary report and see if there is a requirement for an independent body for this."
After inspecting the spot, the minister said: "We have asked the Delhi International Airport Limited to do a verification and inspection from their side. But we are not leaving it up to them. From the Ministry, we have the DGCA, which looks after the safety aspect, which will be supervising this inspection and will submit its report."