The Halwara Airport terminal, built at a cost of approximately ₹70 crore, appeared to falter during its very first major test—a severe storm and heavy rainfall that struck on Saturday. The gale-force winds caused several roofing sheets on the terminal building to detach and hang precariously, while water began to leak from the ceiling in multiple locations.
Following the incident, questions have been raised regarding the quality of the airport terminal and its construction work. A video circulating on social media shows water seeping into various parts of the airport premises. Additionally, the roofing sheets on the canopy situated above the main entrance appeared damaged. Locals and travelers alike have remarked that the airport—which was touted as a symbol of modern and world-class amenities—failed to withstand even its first encounter with heavy rain and strong winds. Notably, flight operations from Halwara Airport commenced on May 15 following a long period of anticipation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the airport on February 1, 2026.
Currently, regular flights to Delhi are operating from the airport. While it was described as a facility equipped with state-of-the-art amenities at the time of its inauguration, the technical flaws exposed by this initial rainfall have raised a host of questions.
**Water Reaches from Entry Point to Interior Rooms**
According to reports, water was observed seeping from around the light fixtures located at the airport’s entry point. Furthermore, complaints were received regarding water leakage within several rooms situated inside the terminal building.
The roofing sheets beneath the canopy installed above the main gate were dislodged by the strong winds and were seen hanging loose. Passengers and local residents have expressed concern, stating that such structural flaws in a facility built at such a massive cost are a matter of serious worry.
**PWD Assures: Structure is Completely Safe**
Adesh Gupta, Executive Engineer (XEN) of the Public Works Department (PWD), stated that the situation arose solely because a single roofing sheet had come loose. According to him, the terminal’s main structural framework remains entirely safe, and repair work has already commenced.
He further informed that a technical team is currently investigating the underlying causes behind the dislodging of the sheet and the subsequent water leakage. Necessary corrective measures will be taken once the report is received.
Who will take responsibility now?
For the past several years, a race to claim credit for the Halwara Airport project has been evident at the political level. Even before the airport became operational, a war of words over claiming credit for the facility was ongoing between Sanjeev Arora and Ravneet Bittu.
Various leaders and elected representatives had laid claims to the credit for its construction and operation; however, amidst the flaws that surfaced following the very first rainfall, the public is now asking: who, ultimately, will take responsibility for this situation?
**Strict Action Must Be Taken Against Contractor and PWD Officials: Bittu**
In a post on social media, Rajya Sabha member Ravneet Bittu wrote that it is unfortunate that the Halwara International Airport failed to withstand the very first showers of rain, given the manner in which the building has failed.
This failure has endangered the lives of both employees and passengers. Strict action must be initiated against the PWD officials and the contractor for the negligent construction work and for putting people’s lives at risk.
**Sector (Route)** | **Departure** | **Arrival**
Delhi to Halwara | 05:55 AM | 07:05 AM
Halwara to Delhi | 07:55 AM | 09:10 AM
Delhi to Halwara | 12:55 PM | 02:10 PM (14:10)
Halwara to Delhi | 02:40 PM (14:40) | 03:55 PM (15:55)
**A Glance at the Project**
**Feature / Standard** | **Details**
**Total Project Area** | 161.28 acres of land
**Terminal Building Size** | 2000 square meters
**Navigation/Lighting System** | Equipped with CAT-2 System
**Daily Flight Capacity** | Capacity to handle 12 flights per day
