Noida techie death: Drainage issue at accident site flagged in letter in 2023, plea went unheard
PTC News Desk: Yuvraj Mehta, 27-year-old software engineer who lost his life after drowning inside a water-filled pit in Greater Noida could have been saved had been the administration worked on the issued flagged three years ago.
The Uttar Pradesh irrigation department flagged the need to drain the excess water out back in 2023, however the project never materialised.
However, the letter was buried in official files and the project was never implemented. As a result, water continued to collect in the pit until tragedy struck on Friday night, when the water-filled excavation claimed the life of a 27-year-old man. The episode of the missing letter has once again drawn attention to administrative apathy and the grave consequences it can have for ordinary citizens.
A letter lost in bureaucracy
According to reports, the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department had written to the Noida Authority in 2023, highlighting the urgent need to install head regulators at the pit to manage excess rainwater and drainage by diverting it into the Hindon river. Head regulators are designed to control water flow and prevent the buildup of excess silt in drains or canals.
The communication also noted that funds had already been allocated for the proposed work. However, the letter was allegedly misplaced, and the project never took off. A Noida Authority official told PTI that he was unaware of any such correspondence. Officials further said that the water accumulation in the under-construction basement where Mehta’s car plunged was not solely due to rainfall, but also caused by discharge from drains connected to nearby housing societies.
Residents who staged protest marches following Yuvraj’s death said the tragedy could have been avoided had the head regulators been installed, as they would have prevented water from stagnating at the site.
- With inputs from agencies
