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Delhi's heavy rain tears through shade at IGI's T1 arrival forecourt; airport responds
Delhi: The current IGI Airport membrane shade, partially collapsed in heavy rain, was reportedly installed after a fatal roof collapse during rain last year.
Heavy rain that lashed parts of Delhi on Sunday morning also caused partial damage at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport's Terminal 1, where rainwater tore through a membrane shade, leading to its partial collapse, as seen in a viral video.
The video shows people standing near a covered area where several cars were parked. As the rain intensifies, the membrane shade partially collapses, giving way and allowing water to pour down onto the vehicles and flow toward those nearby, prompting them to move away.
HT.com was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Later in the day, a Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) spokesperson responded to ANI, stating, “Delhi experienced an intense thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall during the intervening night of May 24th, 2025. This sudden and concentrated downpour led to temporary water accumulation in and around IGI Airport, briefly impacting operations...A section of the external tensile fabric at the T1 Arrival forecourt adjusted under pressure, thereby aiding in water dispersal. There was no structural compromise or impact to other parts of the terminal. Swift action was taken by the ground teams to restore normal conditions, ensuring safety and continuity of operations with minimal disruption.”
A News18 report said that the current membrane shade design was installed after a previous structure collapse during heavy rain led to a fatality last year. No injuries were reported in the latest incident, the report added.
In light of the ongoing downpour in the national capital since Saturday night, IGI Airport issued a travel advisory for passengers:
“Due to adverse weather conditions last night, some flights have been impacted. Passengers are advised to check their flight status regularly and stay in touch with airline staff for updates.” the airport said.
Citing sources, news agency PTI reported that 49 flights, including 17 international ones, were diverted due to poor weather at the IGI Airport — the busiest in the country. Waterlogging was also reported at Terminal 3.
Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24.com indicated that around 180 flights faced delays, while several were cancelled.
Heavy rain, thunderstorms hit Delhi
Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds struck Delhi early Sunday, disrupting daily life and causing widespread waterlogging across the city. Several roads were submerged, resulting in traffic snarls in multiple areas.
Visuals from Delhi Cantonment showed a bus and another vehicle stranded in a flooded underpass, highlighting the intensity of the downpour.
Major areas, including ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Subroto Park, Nanakpura Underpass, and Chanakyapuri, witnessed severe waterlogging, which led to significant traffic congestion.
In addition to the flooding, strong winds uprooted trees on Akbar Road amid the stormy weather.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert on Saturday night, warning of a thunderstorm cell approaching from the west and northwest. The forecast had included the possibility of severe storms or dust-raising winds, frequent lightning, and gusty conditions.
Several locations in Delhi reported high wind speeds during the storm: Palam recorded gusts of 72 kmph, Pragati Maidan 76 kmph, Jafarpur 61 kmph, and IGNOU 50 kmph.
The intense rainfall led to a sharp drop in temperatures across the city between 1:15 am and 2:30 am:
- At Safdarjung, the temperature plummeted from 31 degrees Celsius to 21 degrees Celsius.
- Palam saw a drop from 29 degrees Celsius to 22 degrees Celsius.
- Pusa fell from 31.8 degrees Celsius to 20.5 degrees Celsius.
- Pragati Maidan from 31.4 degrees Celsius to 21.3 degrees Celsius.
- Lodhi Road recorded a decline from 31 degrees Celsius to 22.3 degrees Celsius.
For Sunday, the IMD has predicted continued thunderstorm activity with rain, and a maximum temperature expected to hover around 38 degrees Celsius.
(With PTI inputs)
