Delhi Airport Terminal 1 To Reopen Two Months After Roof Tragedy

Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 (T1) is all set to resume operations from August 17 with SpiceJet flights, according to the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) operator. The terminal was shut down on June 28 after a roof collapsed due to heavy rains which resulted in one fatality and six injuries.

During the closure, flights were redirected to terminals 2 and 3, with IndiGo operating approximately 80 per cent of T1's flights and SpiceJet handling the rest. The section of T1 reopening on August 17 is part of the Phase 3A expansion project.

This area, situated on the terminal's far right, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 10 this year. The collapsed portion, which affected the left and central areas of the terminal, will remain closed for an extended period.

DIAL has coordinated with flight operators to facilitate the transition of flights from T2 and T3 back to T1. SpiceJet is set to move 13 of its flights to T1 starting August 17, with IndiGo planning to shift 34 of its flights back to T1 from September 2. Despite these adjustments, T1 will operate at only about 25 per cent of its previous capacity.

Passengers flying with SpiceJet at T1 will use entry gate A on the ground floor, while those travelling with IndiGo will enter through gates 5 and 6 on the first floor. All passenger arrivals will be at the ground floor.

Following the roof collapse, civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu announced compensation of INR 20 lakh for the deceased and INR 3 lakh for each injured individual. He emphasised the need for a thorough safety inspection, stating that both DIAL and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will be involved in reviewing the incident. As of now, the DGCA has not released a report on the matter.

(With inputs from multiple news sources)