10 Emergency Landings Linked to Technical Snags Since January: Aviation Ministry

Quick Summary

• The Civil Aviation ministry reported 10 emergency aircraft landings due to technical snags as January 2024, according to a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
• Two incidents of turbulence have been documented during this period, along with a major crash of an Air India plane on June 12, 2025, resulting in the death of 260 passengers and crew.
• Structural audits conducted for Delhi Airport’s Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 by IIT Madras found both structures safe despite some concerns over canopy failures.
• On June 28, 2024, the forecourt canopy at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1D collapsed during heavy rains. On May 25, 2025, tensile fabric damage occurred but did not affect operations at the site due to high-intensity thunderstorms.
• Inspections validated by academic institutions such as IIT-BHU confirmed these airport structures as safe; further evaluations by L&T Engineering were undertaken before reconstruction efforts began at affected areas.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The series of emergency aircraft incidents and structural issues at airports highlights challenges in India’s aviation sector concerning safety standards and infrastructure resilience. While DGCA’s regulatory audits aim to strengthen safety compliance among airlines, the fatal Air India crash underscores vulnerabilities that require immediate attention across technical operations protocols and training mechanisms.

On infrastructure management fronted by Delhi Airport authorities: proactive measures like regular inspections before monsoon season reflect commitment toward public safety yet spotlight inadequacies during extreme weather events-especially critical given increased frequency of environmental disruptions globally impacting Indian urban hubs sensitively reliant-connected systems/services lie ahead outward-prepared adjustments likely integrations-ground engineering readiness

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