Heavy rainfall batters Delhi airport's T1 canopy; 49 flights diverted

Thunderstorm and 80 mm rain damage canopy at T1; no structural impact reported, but 49 flights diverted and over 650 delayed at India's busiest airport

The canopy at the arrival forecourt of the Delhi airport's Terminal 1 was damaged due to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms on Sunday, causing 49 flight diversions.

 

Videos widely circulated on social media showed the tensile fabric tearing as water gushed through. The incident comes less than a year after the collapse of a steel-and-concrete canopy at this terminal, which killed a cab driver and injured eight others.

 

A subsequent investigation by a DGCA-appointed panel attributed the collapse to flawed design, poor workmanship, and inadequate maintenance.

 

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the airport operator, on Sunday said the city recorded over 80 mm of rain and recorded wind speeds of 70–80 km per hour in 45 minutes around 2 am. 

 

“This sudden and concentrated downpour led to temporary water accumulation in and around IGI Airport, briefly impacting operations. As a part of the design’s natural response to extreme conditions and to prevent excessive water retention, a section of the external tensile fabric at the T1 arrival forecourt adjusted under pressure, thereby aiding in water dispersal,” DIAL said.

 

“There was no structural compromise or impact to other parts of the terminal. Swift action was taken by the ground teams to restore normal conditions, ensuring safety and continuity of operations with minimal disruption,” the operator noted.

 

A total of 49 flights — including 17 international services — were diverted between 11:30 pm Saturday and 4:00 am Sunday.

 

According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, the airport saw 196 delayed arrivals and 453 delayed departures between 12:00 am and 6:30 pm on Sunday, a sharp rise from 100 arrival delays and 351 departure delays on Saturday.

 

According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the IGI Airport, the country's largest and busiest airport, handles 1,265 flights per day.