The TDP leader took charge of the ministry on June 13.
New Delhi:
Expressing condolences to the family of the taxi driver who died after a portion of the roof collapsed at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday morning, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the ministry has entered into action immediately and everyone was evacuated from the terminal as a precaution.
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Mr. Naidu, who took charge of the ministry on June 13, also listed out the measures being taken by the government to ensure that the tragedy does not happen again and emphasized that the safety and comfort of the passengers is their top priority.
The taxi driver died and five other people were injured in the collapse, which occurred around 5:30 a.m. in Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. Operations at the terminal were halted for the rest of the day, prompting IndiGo and SpiceJet, the only two airlines operating from there, to cancel some flights and shift others to terminals 2 and 3.
“It is an unfortunate accident, especially in the first few days when I took over the ministry. As soon as I knew that such an incident had occurred, I wanted to rush to the airport. It was a bit complicated at that time, considering that it was raining a lot and There was traffic congestion in Delhi, but one thing I have to mention is the kind of support I received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He called me immediately and gave me encouragement and guidance on how to handle such a crisis,” Naidu said. who went to the airport shortly after the accident.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader said the injured were immediately shifted to hospitals and the ministry is ensuring that they are provided proper medical care.
“One of the first things we did was evacuate the entire building as a precaution. All flight operations from T1 were also paralyzed and, to avoid inconvenience to passengers, we moved all traffic to T2 and T3, where additional personnel were provided,” he explained.
War Room
Sharing details of a review meeting he had with the Civil Aviation Secretary and officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India, among others, the minister said a 24×7 war room has been set up so that passengers can get refunds within seven days or an “alternative choice of travel.” Helpline numbers have also been provided.
Highlighting the warning to airlines not to increase airfares on routes to and from Delhi, the minister said the focus is also on trying to find out why the crash happened.
IIT Team
When told that a part of the Jabalpur airport roof had also collapsed on Thursday, Mr Naidu said: “There have been two consecutive incidents and we are very worried. A structural engineering team from IIT Delhi has also been brought in to investigate… A team is also being sent to Jabalpur. A structural inspection will be carried out at nearly 157 airports in the country. I have asked for a report on my desk within two to five days.”
“When we receive the reports, we will see what needs to be done, whether it is regulation or a policy framework. Passenger comfort and safety have been my motto since the first day I took over the ministry,” he said.
When asked about visiting the injured in the hospital and thanking the staff members involved in the rescue operation, Naidu said he had done so because he was worried and also wanted to express his gratitude.
“I wanted to give that sense of confidence that the government is there for them and the minister is there for them. It is through these gestures that I want to send a message to the people of the country that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is their ministry; we care and we listen to them,” he said.
‘Points of political interest’
On the opposition’s claim that the roof of the terminal inaugurated by PM Modi three months ago had collapsed, Naidu stressed that this was not the case.
“It’s fake news. The collapse occurred in a part of a building that was built and inaugurated in 2009. It’s not an excuse, but linking it to the inauguration is totally false news. I don’t think it’s at this point where people “I should try to score political points… I wanted to see political maturity,” he said.