False ceiling panels at Andaman airport fall off in inclement weather amid work

Port Blair: The Andaman airport, which is being enlarged, witnessed a portion of the false ceiling falling off due to heavy winds after it was loosened to allow CCTV cameras to be fixed.

The false ceiling in front of the ticketing counter, outside the terminal building, had been loosened for the adjustment of CCTV works and final alignment, officials said on Sunday.

The airport’s new integrated terminal, which is yet to be made functional, was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days back.

“It is a minor incident. The installation of CCTV cameras was going on. The wiring for such cameras needs to be done behind the panels and there might be some fixing issues. We have addressed the issue, and the matter has been resolved,” an airport official told PTI.

PM Modi had on July 18 virtually inaugurated the new integrated terminal building of the Veer Savarkar Airport in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In a statement, the airport authorities said the false ceiling in front of the ticketing counter, outside the terminal building, has been loosened for the adjustment of CCTV works and final alignment.

“On the night of July 22, there was heavy wind, which uplifted the false ceiling from the bottom since the wind was not able to escape towards the ticketing counter area.

“Due to this, around 10 sqm of false ceiling became dislocated, but the same has been rectified. The false ceiling inside the terminal building is intact, and no damage occurred to any of the installations inside the terminal,” the statement issued by the airport said.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter on the incident and said the prime minister will “inaugurate anything these days – even if it’s unfinished or substandard infrastructure”.

The terminal building is shaped like a shell, depicting the natural environs of the archipelago.

Due to a surge in passenger traffic, the Airports Authority of India constructed the new terminal building at an estimated cost of Rs 707.73 crore, another official said.

With a total built-up area of 40,837 sq metres, the new building will have the capacity to handle 1,200 passengers during peak hours and around 40 lakh passengers annually.