Cat on Haj terminal roof crashes false ceiling, IGI ‘pride’

New Delhi: A simple predator on Thursday left behind a telling testimony on India’s security system, and the quality of renovation at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
A house cat sneaked through and sashayed into the temporary Haj terminal. Once in and on the prowl for a target, it jumped onto the false ceiling below the roof. Result: the light-weight fibre gave way under its weight and a few panels came crashing down.
Though no one was hurt, not many were amused either. Members of the Haj Committee, however, said the feline responsible for the security breach is a permanent resident of the airport. Along with the monkeys, that is.
An airport official jumped to the cat’s defence. He explained: “How can you stop birds from sitting on trees? The cat lives in this terminal. There are at least 10 to 15 of them, and the same number of monkeys here.”
Delhi State Haj Committee member Shakeel Zaidi said: “The cat must have noticed something worth eating on the roof. It leapt on the false ceiling on its way up and dislodged the cover. No one was injured.”
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), in charge of the building’s maintenance and renovation, said the broken tiles would be repaired soon. An official said, “We will plug the gaps between the roof and the false ceiling so that no animal can squeeze into the area.”
The Haj terminal was opened on October 30 for two months to make it easy for pilgrims to Mecca. DIAL officials have claimed it was completely renovated but perhaps had not factored in ‘cat mischief’.
20/12/08 Geeta Gupta/ExpressIndia

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Categories: Airports Dec 2008