Noida : The tragic death of a software engineer after his car plunged into the water-filled basement of an under-construction mall in Sector-150, Noida, has shaken the administration. Following the incident, the Noida Authority has initiated strict disciplinary action against officials found responsible for negligence.
Noida Authority Chief Executive Officer Lokesh M has terminated the services of Junior Engineer Naveen Kumar, posted in the Noida Traffic Cell, with immediate effect. In addition, show-cause notices have been issued to other officials and staff responsible for traffic management and related works in the area.
The CEO has sought a detailed report from concerned departments regarding the allotment and construction work linked to Lotus Builder. He has categorically stated that any laxity in safety standards at construction sites will no longer be tolerated. Directions have also been issued to all departments to re-inspect safety arrangements at ongoing construction projects across their jurisdictions to prevent such incidents in the future.
How the Accident Occurred
The fatal accident took place late Friday night near the ATS Le Grandiose turn in Sector-150, under the Knowledge Park police station area. The victim, 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, was returning home from Gurugram when his car went out of control, broke through the wall of a drain, and fell into the water-filled basement of an under-construction mall.
Preliminary findings suggest that dense fog and overspeeding were major contributing factors. Before drowning, Yuvraj managed to call his father, pleading for help. Upon receiving the call, his father reached the spot within about 15 minutes. Teams from the police, fire department, SDRF and NDRF carried out a rescue operation for nearly four and a half hours. Yuvraj was eventually pulled out from around 30 feet of water and rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Father Alleges Lack of Safety Measures
The deceased’s father, Rajkumar Mehta, a resident of Tata Eureka Park Society in Sector-150 and a retired director of the State Bank of India, has levelled serious allegations in his complaint to the police. He stated that there was neither a strong barricade nor reflectors or warning signboards at the accident site.
He further alleged that residents of Sector-150 had repeatedly demanded safety measures from the Noida Authority in the past, but no concrete action was taken. Local residents echoed these concerns, claiming that there are no proper indicators at the turn, speed breakers lack yellow markings and the road is riddled with potholes. Due to poor visibility and inadequate signage, drivers often fail to anticipate the turn, leading to frequent accidents. A truck had reportedly fallen into the drain at the same spot a few days earlier.
Under-Construction Basement Turns Deadly
The basement into which the car fell had virtually no safety arrangements. There was no barricading around the site and no warning boards installed. The basement was filled with nearly 30 feet of water, which was not rainwater but allegedly wastewater flowing from nearby housing societies. Due to the absence of a proper drainage system, the water had been stagnating there for a long time.
According to available information, the basement was excavated nearly two years ago and has since remained incomplete. The pillars are partially constructed, with iron rods exposed. The incident has raised serious questions about construction safety norms and the effectiveness of the Noida Authority’s monitoring mechanism.