Airport lounge fails rain test

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 3

Monsoon showers have exposed the work on the newly constructed departure lounge of Jammu airport as it developed a major leakage on Tuesday.

Union Minister for Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated the upgraded terminal of Jammu airport on August 17 last year, but the roof has developed a leakage within a year of its opening.

On Tuesday, passengers were shocked when they found the roof of the check-in lounge leaking after a spell of rain on Monday night.

“The leakage in the airport lounge raises questions about the quality of the construction,” said Jagmohan Singh Raina, a social worker.

“If a building worth crores of rupees starts leaking within a year of its inauguration, it needs to be probed,” he added.

The leakage has also shocked the Airport Authority of India (AAI), Jammu, which takes care of the airport. The authorities immediately called construction agencies and started the repair work.

Refuting the allegations of poor quality work, officials said it happened due to blockage of a drain.

“Some construction work is being done on the first floor of the building, like in store rooms and offices. The leakage has happened due to the blockage of a drain on the first floor. It has been repaired now,” said said DK Goutam, Director, AAI, Jammu.

“We assured quality work at the time of construction. We will ensure that such incident does not occur in future,” he added.