One person died after a portion of the roof at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 collapsed due to heavy rainfall. (PTI)
In the early hours of June 28, a portion of the roof at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 collapsed due to heavy rains, resulting in one fatality and six injuries. This incident highlights the fragile state of public infrastructure in India and raises critical questions about the safety and integrity of such structures. An airport, especially in the capital city, is a symbol of modern engineering excellence and safety. It should not become the site of a tragedy.
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport, the busiest airport in the country, handled more than 65 million passengers in 2023 and around 1,500 flights daily. On November 28, 2023, the airport recorded its highest-ever single-day passenger traffic of 2,21,000. These numbers highlight the critical role of the Delhi Airport in national and international connectivity. Incidents such as the one on June 28 undermine people’s trust in public infrastructure.
Public concern
The roof collapse raises critical questions: How are these projects planned and executed? What safety standards are in place, and who is responsible for ensuring compliance? If such a failure can occur at a major airport in the capital, what is the state of infrastructure elsewhere in the country? This is not an isolated incident. Similar failures have occurred recently with bridges, flyovers, schools, and airports.
The ruling party and the Opposition have begun arguing over when the roof was constructed, whether it was inaugurated in 2008 or in March 2024. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu was quick to clarify that the collapsed portion was built in 2008-2009 and awarded by GMR to private contractors. This detail, however, does little to assuage public concern. A structure from 2008 is not old by any standard. On the point related to private contractors, questions about accountability and government oversight persist. The real concern is why infrastructure audits, essential for maintaining the safety and integrity of such structures, were not being conducted regularly. Regular audits and maintenance checks are crucial to prevent such disasters, yet they appear to have been neglected.
Safety is non-negotiable
There is a growing loss of trust in authorities and infrastructure developers, who are perceived as prioritising profits over public safety. A thorough investigation is essential to identify those responsible for this tragedy and hold them accountable. Were there warnings or signs of negligence that were ignored? Why does the approach to state investment in infrastructure seem to be just about construction, not sustenance?
There is an urgent need for stricter regulations and better oversight of infrastructure projects to prevent such incidents. Regular safety audits should be conducted, construction standards should be adhered to, and clear accountability mechanisms that prioritise public safety must be in place. There should be an emphasis on quality control and adherence to international safety norms. It is crucial to address the gaps in planning and execution.
Infrastructure is not just about concrete and steel — it is about the people who use it. The failure to ensure safety reflects a deeper societal issue where human life is not given the priority it deserves. This incident should serve as a wake-up call to re-evaluate our policies and practices and ensure that the design of infrastructure does not imperil human lives and well-being.
Chauhan is a researcher and a PhD scholar at Dr B R Ambedkar University, Delhi. Sinha is an urban architect
