Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Saturday (June 29) criticized the opposition for politicizing the canopy collapse incident at Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 on June 28, which tragically claimed one life and injured eight others.
Speaking to the media about the incident and the subsequent actions taken by authorities, the minister expressed strong displeasure over the opposition's alleged attempts to exploit the tragedy for political gain. He said, "I am a little surprised that the opposition wants to do politics on this kind of issue by saying this is a terminal inaugurated by PM Modi, but it is fake news they are spreading. PM Modi inaugurated a building in another terminal and it is intact. The roof of the building that collapsed is an old building inaugurated in 2009. It is a 15-year-old building...using this situation to take a dig at the government is not a good precedent."
The minister's statement comes amid the opposition's claims that the roof that collapsed on Friday due to heavy rains was part of the expanded Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi this year.
Significantly, opposition leaders alleged that PM Modi "hurriedly inaugurated" an "incomplete terminal" to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said corruption and criminal negligence led to the collapse of shoddy infrastructure. He stated, "Corruption and criminal negligence are responsible for the collapse of shoddy infrastructure falling like a deck of cards, in the past 10 years of Modi Govt."
"Delhi Airport (T1) roof collapse, Jabalpur Airport roof collapse, Abysmal condition of Ayodhya's new roads, Ram Mandir leakage, Cracks in Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Road, 13 new bridges falling down in Bihar in 2023 and 2024, Pragati Maidan tunnel submerging and Morbi bridge collapse tragedy in Gujarat are some stark instances which exposes the tall claims by Modi ji and BJP of creating "World Class Infrastructure. All this false bravado and rhetoric was only reserved for quickly indulging in ribbon-cutting ceremonies before Elections," he added.
Further, it is pertinent to note that, speaking to the media, the Civil Aviation Minister also informed that a special team from IIT Delhi's structural department has been roped in. He said, they will submit their initial findings, and based on it a decision will be taken.
"We don't want a similar incident to happen again, so we have brought in a special team from IIT Delhi's structural department. They will give an initial inspection report, and based on that, necessary action will be taken...to ensure that we are getting a structural preliminary inspection done at all airports, we have sought a report from all the airports across the country within 2-5 days..," he added.
READ MORE | 1 dead, several injured after roof collapses at Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 | WATCH
