NEW DELHI: Passengers in a lift in the parking facility of the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) had a mighty scare on Saturday afternoon as it hurtled down and landed with a loud thud. Children inside started crying while the adults were terrified during the minor ordeal. All the occupants of the lift were reported to be safe. The airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited, is investigating the incident.
The mishap happened in the afternoon when passengers with luggage were on their way to the ground floor towards the Departure area from the first floor of Terminal 3. A passenger present inside the lift told TNIE, “Four members in my family and four others were inside the lift when it crashed down with a loud noise. My little kids started crying out of fear. It was really unnerving and scary when it happened.”
He said he pressed the alarm button, and staff immediately attended to it and opened the door. “When we came out, we realised that the lift had gone a few inches below the ground floor,” he added.
Airlines charge a high parking fee as well as a considerable sum as a User Development Fee. “Much better maintenance of these facilities is required,” the flyer stated.
An airport source told TNIE, “We are aware of the incident. We are investigating the issue with our parking team.” He added that there were multiple lifts at the airport spread across all its terminals and facilities. “This is the first time such an incident has happened.”
Elaborating on it, a source familiar with the incident said, “Whenever the sensor in the lift fails, this automated action takes place as an inbuilt safety feature so that the lift does not proceed further.”