Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu speaks to reporters on Delhi airport incident
The Delhi airport roof collapse that killed one and injured six was a "very serious incident" and the aviation regulation DGCA will look into the matter thoroughly, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told reporters today.
The canopy and a huge metal beam at the pick-up and drop area outside Delhi airport's terminal 1 collapsed this morning, amid heavy rain.
The airport closed flights operating from terminal 1. The Civil Aviation Minister said passengers whose flights have been cancelled will get a full refund.
When reporters pointed out some of the beams appear to have gathered rust, Mr Naidu said, "It is too early to comment on it. We have told the airport administration to check. The ministry and the DGCA will also investigate separately."
The terminal 1 canopy that collapsed today was built in 2008-09. The work was contracted out by GMR to private contractors, government sources told NDTV.
Soon after the morning's incident, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged the affected terminal was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Corruption and criminal negligence is responsible for the collapse of shoddy infrastructure falling like a deck of cards, in the past 10 years of the Modi government," Mr Kharge alleged.
The Civil Aviation Minister pointed out the "misinformation" in Mr Kharge's post - PM Modi had inaugurated another building, not terminal 1. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power at the time the canopy was built and inaugurated.