Canopy Collapse at Rajkot Hirasar International Airport Terminal Following Heavy Rain

Canopy Collapse at Rajkot Hirasar International Airport Raises Safety Concerns

A shocking incident occurred at Rajkot Hirasar international airport in Gujarat on June 29, when a part of the canopy at the terminal collapsed following heavy rain. A video of the incident has since gone viral on social media, showing the canopy collapsing at the passenger pickup and drop area outside the airport terminal. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported so far.

The new greenfield airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July 2023, marking a significant milestone for the region. Built by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) in Hirasar village, 25 km from Rajkot, the airport was designed to improve connectivity and facilitate travel in the area.

This unsettling event marks the third incident of infrastructure collapse at Indian airports within a week, following similar incidents at Delhi’s IGI terminal-1 and Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur airport. These incidents have raised concerns about the safety and maintenance of airport infrastructure across the country.

In related news, a tragic incident occurred a day before the Rajkot collapse, when a canopy over the forecourt at Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi collapsed, resulting in one fatality and six injuries. The terminal had to suspend flight operations following the incident, prompting Union Minister for Civil Aviation Rammohan Naidu to announce compensation for the affected families.

Similarly, on June 27, a fabric canopy at Dumna airport in Madhya Pradesh collapsed due to heavy rains, fortunately causing no injuries. An investigation has been launched to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.

The recent heavy rains in Gujarat, caused by a cyclonic circulation over south Gujarat, have brought about a wet spell in the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘yellow alert’ for south Gujarat, predicting heavy showers in the coming days and urging caution.

As authorities investigate the cause of the canopy collapse at Rajkot Hirasar international airport, the safety of airport infrastructure remains a top priority to prevent similar incidents in the future. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.