It’s well past due since a show-cause notice from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has been issued to Delhi International Airport Ltd, the company operating the facilities, as per its detailed review of structural faults at the Terminal 1 (T1) of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). It came after June 2024 witnessed the collapse of the roof that proved fatal. The AAI wants DIAL to explain the structural defects that had been noticed at the terminal and that may be threatening to jeopardize the safety of operations. This article discusses the background relating to the show cause notice and the reply from DIAL.
What Caused the Show Cause Notice?
There had been a severe roof collapse, on June 2024 at the old forecourt of departing from Terminal-1 (T1) located in Delhi IGIA, resulted in one killing and raised crucial questions about serious safety issues in that terminal area. The concerned ministry of civil aviation took speedy action by summoning a technical investigation team under structural engineers attached to the Delhi unit of IIT for finding causes of the collapsed roof and final judgment on terminal structure.
This failure will help this study to be undisturbed at all directly in recognizing certain areas with few weak areas related to T1. The report continued statements saying that several sections of the terminal required buttressing on an immediate basis because, with the higher risk of dangers the passengers presented to themselves besides those who were there to deal with it at this time, to respond to this too, it issued a show cause notice against DIAL in respect of seeking clarification, “explanation to let know its grievances.”
The Response from DIAL
Delhi International Airport Ltd, the public-private partnership running IGIA, has also accepted the apprehensions of AAI. The spokesperson of DIAL said that the company’s team of experts is working seriously on a comprehensive response to all the queries of AAI. DIAL assured that the response will be presented within the timeframe, ensuring that all the apprehensions are made transparently.
DIAL says that findings are already put in AAI; clarification on many points is only in the offing. The Airport operator has said it will be taking all those measures that may bring corrective structural imperfections toward safe operation of the airport again. Till date, old terminal 1 of the airport remained closed for the operations.
Functional Terminal 1 with Alternative Arrangement:
Terminal one roofs collapsing was yet another threat compelling a change major shut-down in secure processes that were in operation to an extended shut-down major operational re-tooling; to reduce to chaser’s good fortune on 17th August of 2024 T1 of new T 1 relieving operations’ partial comfort before it had to endure major repair of required repair for renovation designs to take place for the operations of the old terminal one.
Besides the new T1, the T2 and T3 of the Delhi Airport have been in use to complement the extra flights and passengers. The restructuring of terminal operations was carried out in an organized manner so that the airport could function without much interruption in services.
Key Findings from the IIT Delhi Study
The IIT Delhi study after the T1 roof collapse clearly manifests a series of defects in structural sequences that call for immediate rectification. Even if this roof collapse at a remote corner of the terminal building is true, the vulnerabilities at other points have come forth during the review process, too. They will put the whole T1 into instability risk over time and thus prove unsafe and therefore call for urgent rectification.
This means that the terminal cannot be opened again for operation until the strengthening measures are completed. This will help prevent another accident and keep passengers, the staff of the airport, and all other facility users safe.
Compliance of DIAL with Service Quality Standards
Under the OMDA signed in 2006, DIAL is answerable to fulfill many safety and service quality requirements. The latest show cause notice by AAI is an explicit reminder of the commitment by DIAL toward ensuring a safe and efficient environment for an airport as under the terms of OMDA.
DIAL is a joint venture, and GMR Airports Ltd holds 64% shares. The remaining 26% shares are owned by AAI, and the remaining 10% shares are held by Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide. IGIA is one of the busiest airports in India and on a daily basis, more than 1,400 flights are handled, so it’s very much in need that this airport sets higher standards to acquire safety and operational efficiency.
Conclusion and Future Steps
In the show cause notice issued to DIAL by AAI, there come into the front much-needed steps as regards safety at Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi. The unfortunate episode of roof collapse at Terminal 1 has started ringing questions in the minds of all about structural integrity and overall safety measures and the immediate attention that this demands from AAI. The notice would show DIAL what its future course of action was supposed to be in the areas that were lacking.
Alternate arrangements have been made at T2 and T3 so as to ensure that the operations go ahead with minimum disruption in the schedule of the flights. The old T1 terminal remains closed till repairs and structural overhauling are taken up.
There can be little doubt that safety of passengers and personnel at the airport is always a top priority in DIAL’s list. It would be very much expected that every measure would be taken in such a way that confidence in one of the busiest and critical airports in the country could be regained.
Refer:
Economic Times, Link to article