The chaos at Delhi Airport, characterized by severe flight delays and cancellations, has sparked a verbal spat between Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. The dispute unfolded on X (formerly Twitter) with accusations and counter-accusations regarding the government’s handling of the situation and its preparedness for adverse weather conditions.
On January 14 and 15, thousands of passengers faced disruptions in their travel plans due to fog-related issues, leading to delays and cancellations. Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter to express concern and questioned the government’s preparedness to handle fog conditions, particularly focusing on the use of CAT III-B compliant runways at Delhi Airport.
Tharoor’s tweets prompted a response from Civil Aviation Minister Scindia, who defended the government’s actions and criticized Tharoor for selective data mining and being an “arm-chair critic.” The exchange escalated as both leaders exchanged barbs, with Tharoor demanding an apology from Scindia for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
In his initial tweets, Tharoor raised questions about the government’s readiness to ensure that airlines have adequately trained pilots for landing planes on CAT III-B compliant runways, which allow flight operations in visibility as low as 50 meters due to fog. He highlighted the plight of passengers enduring lengthy delays, some even resorting to eating meals on the tarmac.
Scindia’s response included dismissing Tharoor’s tweets as an esoteric exploration of thesaurus and emphasizing the importance of actual facts. The minister defended the government’s initiatives, citing the priority given to maintenance work on runways and attributing delays to unforeseen challenges like pollution incidents and the enforcement of GRAP-IV in Delhi.
The Congress leader countered by citing news reports and accusing the Modi government of initiating maintenance work on a crucial runway in September 2023, fully aware that it would not be ready for winter. Tharoor pointed to the delayed commissioning of the revamped runway, contributing to the chaos at Delhi Airport.
The dispute also touched upon the use of a crane blocking the operation of CAT III-B on one runway. Tharoor highlighted the issue, claiming that despite repairs being complete, the crane hindered operations. Scindia responded by explaining that the crane was part of another critical infrastructure project, the Dwarka Expressway.
Meanwhile, the Flight Information Display System at Delhi Airport reported significant delays and cancellations, impacting both domestic and international flights. The clash between Scindia and Tharoor underscores the broader concerns about the efficiency and preparedness of India’s aviation sector, particularly during adverse weather conditions, and the political ramifications of such incidents.
As the political spat continues, passengers and the public await concrete actions to address the challenges faced at Delhi Airport and ensure smoother air travel experiences in the future. The episode highlights the need for robust infrastructure management and contingency planning in the aviation sector to mitigate disruptions and minimize passenger inconvenience.