A partial roof collapse occurred at Delhi airport’s Terminal-1 (T1) on Friday during heavy rains, resulting in one fatality and six injuries. Unfortunately, such incidents are not uncommon at Indian airports, where the quality of infrastructure has long been scrutinised due to mishaps during severe weather. Despite government efforts, concerns persist about the construction and materials used, raising questions about airport infrastructure management.
Constant attempt to upgrade aviation infrastructure
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 15 December 2022, the then Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation Gen VK Singh (retd) had said that the upgradation of airports’ infrastructure is a continuous process and is undertaken by Airports Authority of India and other airport developers.
The minister had also said that in the next five years starting 2022, approximately Rs 98,000 crore would be invested in the airport sector focussing primarily on expanding and improving existing terminals, constructing new terminals and enhancing runway facilities across various airports.
Apart from the capital outlay for the development of nine newly operational greenfield airports including investments such as Rs 670 crore for Durgapur, Rs 320 crore for Shirdi, Rs 553.53 crore for Pakyong, Rs 2342 crore for Kannur, Rs 175.57 crore for Kalaburagi, Rs 187 crore for Orvakal (Kurnool), Rs 520 crore for Sindhudurg, Rs 448 crore for Kushinagar and Rs 646 crore for Donyi Polo in Itanagar, major airports like Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mangaluru, Guwahati and Ahmedabad were also allocated substantial capital expenditures ranging from Rs 376 crore to Rs 13,552 crore for upgrades and expansions planned between 2019 and 2025.
According to a report from the India Brand Equity Foundation, the civil aviation sector in India has shown remarkable growth, becoming one of the fastest-growing industries in the country over the past three years. India now ranks as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market and is poised to surpass the UK to claim the same spot globally by 2024. With a market size of US$ 16 billion, India currently stands as the tenth-largest civilian aviation market. Forecasts from the International Air Transport Association suggest that India is on track to surpass both China and the United States to become the world’s third-largest air passenger market by 2030.
Different airports, same story
Despite such robust investments, infrastructure woes see no end at Indian airports. Roof collapses and leaking roofs in Indian airports have been a recurring issue over the years highlighting concerns about infrastructure maintenance and safety. Several incidents have been reported where roofs have collapsed or leaked, causing disruptions and safety hazards. These incidents often raise questions about the quality of construction, maintenance practices, and overall infrastructure management in Indian airports.
On 9 May 2024, Bengaluru experienced significant disruption due to heavy rainfall leading to severe waterlogging and air travel disruptions. The Kempegowda International Airport, commonly known as Bengaluru Airport or BLR Airport, was flooded prompting the diversion of at least 17 flights to Chennai.
In March this year, during heavy rainfall, a section of the roof at Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport collapsed. The sudden collapse caused water to flow inside, creating chaos at the airport. Fortunately, no injuries were reported due to the incident.
Due to Cyclone Michaung in December 2023, the Chennai airport runway was flooded affecting flight operations.
In July last year, Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in Gujarat faced severe flooding following continuous rainfall. Numerous social media users shared videos depicting the airport submerged in knee-high water, showing runways and terminal areas inundated.
In May 2022, Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc at the Kolkata airport flooding both terminals and runways.
Not a good impression of Indian airports
These incidents often paint a bad picture of Indian airports and are largely avoidable if the importance of robust infrastructure planning, effective drainage systems and emergency preparedness to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on airport operations remain uncompromised.
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Leaking ceilings, flooded terminals: Why Delhi airport roof collapse is shocking but not surprising
