A late night drive home turned fatal for a 27 year old engineer after his car plunged into an unguarded, water filled construction pit in Greater Noida, prompting police to register an FIR against two real estate firms on charges of causing death by negligence.
The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, was returning from work in Gurugram to his home in Sector 150, Noida, when the accident occurred on the night of 16 January. His family alleged that the absence of basic safety measures at the construction site directly led to his death.
According to the police, dense fog and near zero visibility made it difficult to spot the deep excavation, which was part of an under construction building. The site reportedly had no barricades, reflectors or warning signs. Mehta’s car lost control at a sharp turn, broke through a damaged boundary wall and fell into the pit, which was filled with water.
After the crash, Mehta managed to escape the sinking vehicle and climb onto its roof. He called his father, Rajkumar Mehta, saying he was drowning and pleaded for help. A rescue operation involving local police, the fire brigade, the State Disaster Response Force and the National Disaster Response Force was launched.
However, the family alleged serious lapses during the rescue effort. Mehta’s father claimed that no trained divers were available initially, leading to critical delays. Amid the rescue, a delivery agent named Moninder assisted the authorities at the site.
The search continued for more than five hours. By the time Mehta was pulled out in the early hours of the morning, he had died. The autopsy report later confirmed that he died due to fluid accumulation in his lungs and cardiac failure.
Following the incident, an FIR was registered against MJ Wishtown Planner Limited and Lotus Green Construction Private Limited for allegedly ignoring mandatory safety norms. The family stated that proper barricading and lighting could have prevented the accident.
The Noida Authority also initiated departmental action, suspending a junior engineer for failing to ensure safety arrangements at the site. Show cause notices were issued to other officials linked to the project.
Local residents claimed that a similar accident had occurred at the same location just days earlier, raising further questions about oversight and enforcement.
A candlelight vigil was later held in Mehta’s memory, with residents and family members demanding accountability and stricter enforcement of construction safety norms.
Under the National Building Code of India, excavation sites are required to have proper fencing, lighting and warning measures to protect both pedestrians and motorists. The Mehta family said the tragedy highlights the deadly consequences of ignoring these regulations.
