Delhi T1 Canopy Collapse: DGCA Expert Panel Blames ‘Poor Workmanship', DIAL Refutes Findings

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Delhi T1 Canopy Collapse: The report, that was not made public, has been accessed by CNN-News18, and has made startling revelations related to the construction of the canopy
A report submitted by a committee set up by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to carry out technical assessment of the collapse of canopy roof at Terminal One of the Delhi International Airport last year has highlighted discrepancies in the fabrication work, calling it 'poor workmanship". The operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), however, claimed that 'neither the design, the fabrication, nor the workmanship is inferior".
The incident took place at Terminal 1D of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on June 28, 2024, killing one taxi driver and leaving others injured.
What does the report say on the canopy collapse?
The report, that was not made public, has been accessed by CNN-News18, and has made startling revelations related to the construction of the canopy.
The report clearly mentions that the purlin drawings did not match with site conditions. In addition, the fabrication shows poor workmanship in a few places, the document reads.
It further says, 'during inspection, it was observed that the welding, connection detailing, etc., appear to be of inferior workmanship at some locations…the structural members concealed between the roof and the false ceiling didn't have fireproof paint or anti-corrosion measures in the collapsed portion of the structure," it reads.
Further, the findings reveal that the location of purlin joints lies very close to the supports where hogging bending stresses are maximum. 'It is an undesirable location for the splices and should have been avoided," the experts mentioned.
DIAL's strong response to the findings
It said in a response that fire protection coatings are not required for internal roofs above 6.7m in height. 'NFPA clause 7.2.3.2.8 also states that any roof more than 6.1 m in height does not require fire protection. The Old Terminal 1D Canopy was over this 6.7 m height and was external. Accordingly, fire protection was not required. All the members were adequately coated either with vermiculite coating, anti-corrosive metal primer, or a paint that acts as a protective coating for rust prevention," DIAL said.
It added that to overcome the space constraints and to establish a viable connection, the horizontal tie member was lowered within the proximity of the joint location and connected to the flaring columns.
'The design effects due to lowering of the horizontal tie were duly accounted for in the connection design and detailing of the horizontal tie member, and thereby the structural adequacy and integrity of the joints were ensured. The changes made were safe and vetted by the structural consultants and TATA Consulting Engineers," the airport operator claimed.
It further added that the assumption that the detailing and design of connections, particularly welding connections, have not been carried out adequately and were left to fabricators is incorrect.
'The detailing and design of connections, particularly welding connections, have been carried out by a specialist steel agency (Geodesic Techniques) with ISO 9001 certification, with decades of experience in the design and detailing of complex steel structures. The design of connections, including the weld in the fin, was based on the prevalent IS 1893-2002 and IS 800-1984, and in line with proper design practices," DIAL said, adding they have done the testing of the collapsed structure through an NABL-accredited laboratory and the test results do not suggest any inferior workmanship and show weld quality was satisfactory.
Test reports were made available to the concerned, it said.
Expert panel's recommendations & DIAL's reaction
In addition to its findings on the collapsed structure, the report by the experts' committee had further made recommendations for the non-collapsed roof structure.
It said that a thorough inspection and investigation by a specialized agency is recommended. In particular, all connections, welding, etc. shall be checked thoroughly. The structural design and detailing are required to be checked thoroughly, it said.
The committee has also suggested that all connections and components essential for the load transfer mechanism should be looked into and retrofitted by the specialized agency, if required.
Drainage design shall be investigated for adequacy/inadequacy. Necessary modifications for example provision of suction devices in the drain, overflow mechanism, perforated false ceiling near drains, etc. may be required to remove the water stagnation in case of incessant rain events, it added.
Reacting to these recommendations, DIAL said it appointed CORTEX Construction Solutions, a NABL-accredited agency that conducted several non-destructive tests on the non-collapsed structure of Old Terminal 1D, including on all weld joints. The test results and the recommendations were validated by IIT BHU, it claimed.
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The airport operator further added, 'L&T was entrusted with the T1 reinstatement and retrofitting works, duly considering the IIT recommendations."
All the design calculations and design drawings, prepared by L&T in accordance with the current code provisions, were thoroughly checked and approved by a team of three professors from IIT Delhi & IIT Jammu and are being implemented at the site, it said.
About the Author
Anvit Srivastava
Anvit Srivastava, Principal Correspondent at CNN-News18, covers crime, security, policing and society in Delhi. His impactful ground reports have helped him make his mark among the select credited journalists i...Read More
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First Published:
August 06, 2025, 13:46 IST
News india Delhi T1 Canopy Collapse: DGCA Expert Panel Blames 'Poor Workmanship', DIAL Refutes Findings
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