Following the partial collapse of a canopy at Terminal 1 of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in June, the Indian government has sought the expertise of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) to advise airport operators nationwide on structural safety. The Roorkee-based institute has been tasked with ensuring the structural integrity of airport infrastructure and guiding operators to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The decision to engage CBRI comes in the wake of multiple structural issues, including similar canopy collapses at Jabalpur and Rajkot airports in June. According to a senior Ministry of Civil Aviation official, CBRI will provide technical guidance to airport authorities on maintaining structural resilience and conducting regular inspections.

In addition to CBRI’s advisory role, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is organizing a technical workshop for airport operators. Experts from CBRI will offer specialised training on assessing structural safety and addressing vulnerabilities, aiming to strengthen safety protocols across the aviation sector.

On June 28, a partial collapse of a canopy at the old departure area of Terminal 1 in Delhi resulted in one fatality and left nine others injured. Heavy rains were cited as a contributing factor. The ministry immediately enlisted structural engineers from IIT Delhi to review the site and assess the causes. Currently, the ministry is analysing the report from IIT Delhi, while a separate study is being conducted on the structural soundness of Terminals 2 and 3 by a team from IIT Madras.

Following the Delhi incident, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was directed to conduct structural inspections of all major and minor airports across the country. This initiative aims to identify potential vulnerabilities and ensure that airport infrastructure can withstand extreme weather and other stress factors.

The CBRI’s advisory role is part of a broader initiative to safeguard India’s growing airport network, which currently includes 157 operational airports, heliports, and waterdromes. The ministry emphasised the importance of these structural inspections, noting that the findings will shape future safety measures and long-term policies to mitigate risks.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed Rajya Sabha in June that tensile fabric canopies at Jabalpur and Rajkot airports had torn during incidents on June 27 and 29, respectively. Investigations into the causes of these failures are ongoing.

As India’s aviation sector expands, with more airports set to open, the government and airport operators are prioritising infrastructure safety. By involving institutions like CBRI, IIT Delhi, and IIT Madras, the authorities aim to address existing structural vulnerabilities and restore public confidence in the safety and reliability of the nation’s airport infrastructure. (Financial Express)