Greater Noida West: The tragic death of engineer Yuvraj Mehta in a water-filled pit in Noida has once again exposed what residents across Greater Noida West say they have been warning authorities about for years about the unchecked infrastructure decay, open drains, dangerous roads and an administration that repeatedly failed to listen.
From water-filled craters to dust-choked stretches, residents allege that daily life in several housing societies has become a constant struggle. Despite investing crores in apartments marketed as part of a “modern city,” commuters are forced to navigate what locals describe as “village-like” conditions outside their gates.
As investigations continue into the Sector-150 incident, residents across Greater Noida West hope that this tragedy finally forces authorities to act not with promises, but with permanent solutions.
On one side, there are deep potholes; on the other side, thick dust clouds. Roads are either broken or unfinished and uncovered drains remain a constant risk. Yet those responsible remain invisible.
Manish Kumar, Supertech Eco Village 1, GNW
Multiple Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and individuals claim that they have repeatedly raised complaints with the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) through official channels, social media and the IGRS grievance redressal portal. However, they allege that their appeals were met with false assurances and no concrete action.
According to residents near Panchsheel Hynish and Eco Village sector 1, road repairs have been pending for years.
Officials visit, surveys are conducted, contractors are shown around and deadlines of ‘two to three weeks’ are promised. But nothing changes. We are giving lose hopes and we are following up since 2023.
Ranjana Suri Bhardwaj, Resident, Supertech Eco Village 1
Social media posts from residents dating back to 2024 highlight the pattern. In one instance, a GNIDA manager reportedly visited the site along with a contractor and assured that road repairs would be completed within weeks. Months later, residents say the roads remain accident-prone, uneven and unsafe.
These roads are extremely dangerous. People slip frequently, vehicles skid and dust reduces visibility. This is completely unprofessional and shows a lack of dedication and responsibility. And these repeated follow ups yielded no results.
Sameer Bhardwaj, Resident of Supertech Ecovillage 1
Residents also flagged uncovered drains as a major safety hazard, an issue that has gained renewed attention after Yuvraj’s death.
This tragedy did not happen overnight. Open pits and drains have existed for years. Authorities ignored every warning until a life was lost.
Sagar Gupta, Spring Meadows
In some areas, residents claim they have been pursuing road repairs for over two years.
We complained on IGRS and approached officials multiple times, but these corrupt officers never acted. It feels like their only purpose is to harass the public.
Amit Kumar, Social Activist
The anger has intensified following the engineer’s death, with residents questioning why drastic action is taken only after fatalities, while preventive measures are consistently ignored. Many argue that the incident is not isolated but a direct consequence of prolonged administrative apathy.
Urban planning experts say the situation reflects a deeper governance issue.
When infrastructure complaints are treated casually, risks accumulate. Eventually, one incident exposes years of neglect.
Anita Prajapati, Social Activist, Gaur City
Residents are now demanding time-bound road repairs, covering of drains, regular safety audits and strict accountability mechanisms. Several RWAs have appealed directly to the Chief Minister’s Office, urging intervention before more lives are lost.
Authorities should spend a few days living here to understand our reality. Only then will they realise that these are not minor complaints but matters of life and death.
Vikash Katiyar, Resident, Spring Meadows
‘All our requests and warnings were in vain and after all are repeated appeals, no authority paid any heed to our concerns’ – Abhishek Kumar
When timely warning letters are submitted and the administration chooses to turn a blind eye, the same open drains and waterlogged sites eventually claim innocent lives. The incident in Noida is not a routine accident but a direct consequence of administrative negligence. The Greater Noida Authority has been informed on multiple occasions, in writing, about the existence of deep and open drains in Greater Noida West. As recently on January 8, a formal representation was submitted on this very issue. Had these warnings been taken seriously and the drains covered in time, it is possible that another innocent life could have been saved. This is not merely a matter of development or civic convenience. It is fundamentally an issue of public safety and the protection of human life.
Abhishek Kumar, President, Nefowa
‘Anger is justified, its a matter of life and death‘ – Devendra Singh
Where money increases the number of greedy self serving and negligent individuals also rises along with officials who indulge in sycophancy and people who chase political favour and Noida stands as a precise and unfortunate example of this reality The death of Yuvraj in Noida Sector 150 is not the first such incident as several large drains were left uncovered earlier under the pretext of NGT guidelines and even today many drains remain open and dangerous Ordinary citizens have repeatedly risked their lives even at night to rescue cows that fell into these open drains yet the administration continues to delay covering them How many more accidents must occur before action is taken Residents wrote letters met officials and raised concerns for years but many have now stopped complaining not because the problems are solved but because nothing ever changed The question remains why there cannot be a mandatory provision to cover drains immediately at the time of construction when preventive safety should be non negotiable
Devendra Singh, RSS
‘Removing individuals alone is not a solution. What residents expect are decisive, systemic actions.’ – Dinker Panday
There must be an immediate review of all under-construction projects, residential, commercial, institutional and industrial, across the region. The government should immediately take over stalled and unsafe projects and cancel land allotments to defaulting builders, without affecting the rights of third-party homebuyers.
Dinker Pandey,Resident, Ajnara Homes
An immediate public bus service must be introduced across Gautam Buddh Nagar with seamless connectivity to Gurugram and other parts of the NCR. Immediate approval and execution of both proposed metro lines is essential to reduce road congestion and improve public safety. Officers responsible for broken drainage systems, persistent waterlogging, and non-functional STPs which result in rainwater mixing with sewage drains, must be dismissed, not merely suspended. Personnel, including police and emergency responders, who were present at the incident site but failed to take timely life-saving action must also face immediate dismissal and criminal accountability. Accountability must be real and consequential. Cosmetic actions and transfers will not prevent future tragedies, only structural reform and strict enforcement will. This incident is not the responsibility of the Noida Authority alone; the builder is equally responsible for completely ignoring basic safety norms. This death cannot be termed an accident; it falls in the category of culpable killing caused by negligence.
Strict action under serious penal provisions should be taken against the builder. At the same time, all officers and employees of the Noida Authority who failed to discharge their duties must also be held accountable. Only strict punishment will ensure that such incidents do not recur and that innocent lives are not lost in the future.
Rahul Yadav, Resident, Raksha Adella
‘The role of the Noida Fire Department and the SDRF/NDRF teams also requires strict scrutiny and action’ – Sanjiv Kumar, DDRWA
An engineer lost his life right in front of them, while his father pleaded for help, begging them to save his son. Despite being present at the scene and having the responsibility, they did not enter the water to attempt a rescue. Instead, they remained on the edge, trying improvised methods while precious time was lost.
Sanjeev Kumar, Sector 51, DDRWA
The Fire Department and SDRF/NDRF were constituted in 2005 specifically to protect citizens’ lives and property during emergencies. Personnel are recruited, trained, and paid for this very purpose, to act decisively in life-threatening situations. This is not casual or optional work; it is their core duty, for which they receive lifelong salaries from public funds. They are not engaged in manual labour or commercial production; their sole responsibility is to assist and rescue citizens in distress. Even in such a critical moment, they appeared more concerned about their own safety and failed to take timely action, leaving a man to die.Such conduct is unacceptable. Accountability must be fixed, and strict action must be taken against all personnel who failed to perform their duty, so that this level of negligence is never repeated.