Following the partial collapse of a canopy at Terminal 1 of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in June, the Indian government has roped in the expertise of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) to advise airport operators across the country on structural safety. The Roorkee-based institute has been tasked with ensuring the structural integrity of airport infrastructure and providing guidance to operators to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The decision to involve CBRI comes after multiple structural issues, including similar canopy collapses at Jabalpur and Rajkot airports in June. According to a senior official from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, CBRI will provide technical guidance to airport authorities on maintaining structural resilience and conducting regular inspections.

In addition to CBRI’s advisory role, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is organizing a technical workshop for airport operators. CBRI experts will provide specialized training on structural safety assessment and vulnerability management, with the aim of strengthening safety protocols in the aviation sector.

On June 28, a partial collapse of a canopy at the old Terminal 1 departure hall in Delhi resulted in one death and nine others injured. Heavy rains were cited as a contributing factor. The ministry immediately called in structural engineers from IIT Delhi to assess the site and assess the causes. The ministry is currently analysing the IIT Delhi report, while a separate study is being conducted on the structural soundness of Terminals 2 and 3 by a team from IIT Madras.

Following the Delhi incident, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was tasked with conducting structural inspections of all major and minor airports in the country. The initiative aims to identify potential vulnerabilities and ensure that airport infrastructure can withstand extreme weather conditions and other stressors.

The CBRI’s advisory role is part of a broader initiative to safeguard India’s growing airport network, which currently includes 157 operational airports, heliports and waterdromes. The ministry stressed the importance of these structural inspections, noting that the findings will shape future safety measures and long-term policies to mitigate risks.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed Rajya Sabha in June that tensile fabric canopies at Jabalpur and Rajkot airports had been torn during incidents on June 27 and 29 respectively. Investigations into the causes of these failures are still underway.

As India’s aviation sector grows and more airports open, the government and airport operators are prioritizing infrastructure safety. By involving institutions such as CBRI, IIT Delhi and IIT Madras, the authorities aim to address existing structural vulnerabilities and restore public confidence in the safety and reliability of the country’s airport infrastructure.