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NEW DELHI — Heavy monsoon rains in the Indian capital of New Delhi brought part of the airport terminal roof crashing down on parked cars, killing at least one person and injuring four others, according to officials.
Operations at the terminal had been suspended, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told reporters at the site. In addition to the death, he said four people were injured, though local media have put the number at eight. The minister attributed the incident to heavy rain.
“The rest of the terminal building has been closed off and everything is being thoroughly inspected so that any other untoward incident does not happen here,” he added. “Passengers are the first priority for us.” All traffic has been diverted to the airport’s remaining two terminals.
The accident comes as parts of New Delhi were submerged in leg-deep water from the monsoons, halting traffic and bringing down power lines.
There has long been criticism over poor maintenance in the country and lack of oversight over contractors in major building projects in India. The country has seen a massive infrastructure boom in past years to meet rising demands for transportation.
On Thursday, rains collapsed part of the canopy at an airport in Madhya Pradesh state that was unveiled just weeks earlier. A chorus of critics on social media called the Delhi incident just the latest in a long line of infrastructure woes afflicting the country despite fees paid specifically for maintenance.
Delhi International Airport Limited, the company that operates the facility, which was built in 2009, announced compensation of $24,000 for the family of the deceased and about $3,500 each for those injured in the collapse.
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