CHENNAI: Falling panes of glass at the airport have met their match. In a bid to thwart the innumerable panes, doors, sheets and other forms of glass that have been falling and crashing at regular intervals, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to provide an ‘overhead’ cover.
A proposal has been floated to extend the canopies over Entry Gates 1-4 of the Domestic terminal’s Departure level, by 2 metres to “protect passengers from falling glass.” The canopies are made of hardened polymer-based materials with struts supporting them - and are expected to withstand the impact of glass panes, if (or when) they do fall again.
There were at least 7 instances of glass breakages in the last three months and over 20, ever since the new airport terminals were inaugurated a year ago. “This is where most of the passengers are seen off by families and usually they stand in queues outside while the CISF guards check them and let them in. That is why this measure has been taken,” said an airport source.
After having drawn intense flak for all the glass that has fallen, AAI commissioned an IIT-M team to study why it was happening, six months ago. “A professor has come and studied the structural damage and is likely to present a proposal on how to rectify things very soon. However, that will take time and this is an interim measure to keep passengers safe,” said an AAI spokesperson.