Delhi Airport's revamped Terminal 1 is expected to face more than a month-long delay in starting operations following a roof collapse caused by heavy rain, which resulted in one fatality. Originally set to open by mid-July, the terminal now requires a thorough structural examination before permission can be granted, sources revealed. Meanwhile, all flights have been relocated to Terminals 2 and 3.

A Delhi Airport spokesperson assured that no flights have been delayed or cancelled, and a cross-functional team is actively assessing the situation with various stakeholders to ensure passenger safety and convenience. Terminal 2, the airport's smallest, has taken on the additional flights, but this has led to congestion.

An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) team is investigating the cause of the incident, which involved the collapse of a portion of the roof, canopy, and several beams. Delhi Airport, the busiest in the country with over 1,100 daily flights, recently completed a Rs 80 billion expansion project, boosting its capacity to handle about 100 million passengers annually. The project aimed to integrate Terminal 1's separate departure and arrival buildings into a single new terminal, doubling its capacity to 40 million passengers annually.

IndiGo has shifted 72 flights from Terminal 1, nearly half to Terminal 2, which can handle around 1,400 passengers per hour but is now experiencing overcrowding. Airline officials likened the situation to winter fog conditions when passenger volumes exceeded planned capacities. Extra manpower and X-ray machines have been deployed, and airlines are rescheduling flights to non-peak hours to manage the increased passenger flow, with potential flight cancellations to reduce the load.

Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure to accommodate longer check-in and security processes. Akasa Air, operating from Terminal 2, emphasised this to its passengers. One passenger, Nishant, reported that it took him an hour to complete check-in, citing long queues and limited seating.

"We remain committed to maintaining flight operations at T3 and T2 while operations at T1 are temporarily suspended," the Delhi Airport spokesperson stated. (Source: ET)