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The Delhi High Court on Monday disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought an investigation by a multidisciplinary Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged mishap where the roof collapsed following heavy rainfall on June 28, at Terminal-1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
In the matter, the Counsel representing the Central Government stated that the Ministry of Covil Aviation has constituted a High-Level expert committee consisting of structural engineers from IIT Delhi to assess the incident at Delhi Terminal-1 and submit its report. Further, all the airport operators have been directed to carry out a third-party audit of the structural stability of airport buildings and associated infrastructure through reputed government institution/body such as IITS, NITS, CBRI, EIL etc. All the airport operators have also been directed to carry out a thorough evaluation of all civil, electrical and technical aspects of the building, including the design, specifications, and workmanship of the roof sheeting structure, before the onset of the monsoon every year. It was also informed that airport buildings are built following laid down standards/National Building Code, Counsel representing the Central Government stated. Further, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has published Civil Aviation Requirements Section 4 Series B Part I, which deals with standards prescribed for airside infrastructure, and DGCA carries out regular audits in the form of surveillance inspections/spot inspections to ensure compliance with these standards. All airport operators have been instructed to carry out third-party structural audit by reputed agencies like IIT/NIT/Govt. Engineering Colleges, EIL etc, Counsel representing the Central Government stated. The counsel for the government further stated that FIR under Sections 337, 304A IPC has been registered by the Delhi police and a probe is being carried out. The bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela after noting down the submissions decided to dispose of the matter. The plea was moved by Civil Safety Council of India, through its President Yatin Swami, seeking directions to monitor the investigation by a multidisciplinary Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a group of expert engineers or any other agency like CBI, etc., to assess the quality of building construction, its project approval and clearance from civil agencies like MCD, etc., or its maintenance as per building byelaws and acts at all terminals in Delhi Airport and at other terminals of the country. Non-adherence of building regulations and the fast pace at which projects were completed are the main reasons behind such mishaps, resulting in the deaths of a 45-year-old cab driver and eight others, including a Merchant Navy officer, who sustained injuries after a portion of the roof at Terminal 1 of the Delhi airport collapsed during heavy rains, crushing at least three cars on June 28, the plea alleged. (ANI)
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