Janakpuri Biker Falls To Death In Open Pit, Delhi Jal Board CEO Admits Safety Lapses

New Delhi: A young man died after falling into an open pit along with his motorcycle in Delhi’s Janakpuri area late on Thursday night, triggering massive furore regarding civic negligence in the national capital. The pit reportedly falls under the purview of the Delhi Jal Board.  Speaking to Republic after the tragedy, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO, Kushal Raj Sharma, said corrective measures are being taken to ensure public safety, and strict legal action will be taken against anyone found responsible.

The Delhi Jal Board CEO also said that a committee has been formed to investigate further and to find if any official was responsible for the tragedy, and the reports will be revealed subsequently.  This comes a few weeks after Noida techie Yuvraj Mehta died when his speeding car crashed into a flooded basement in Noida's Sector-150.

"Rehabilitation work was going on for old sewer lines. It was a service lane and construction work was ongoing, and iron barricades were deployed and were also covered by green mesh, yet this incident took place," the DJB CEO said.

The deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Kamal, a resident of Kailashpuri. According to initial information, Kamal was returning home from his office, the HDFC Bank call centre in Rohini, Sector 10, late at night when the incident occurred.

An FIR has been registered under section 105 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Janakpuri Police Station, against the contractor and concerned officials of the Delhi Jal Board. 

The Delhi Jal Board has already placed three engineers under suspension for alleged negligence. A separate investigation has been initiated into the construction company involved in the project, which has been underway for the past three months. The Delhi Police are also searching for labourers present at the site during the incident.

"We have prepared a committee to find if there was a fault of any officer. Although there were security measures, they were not appropriate, and up to the mark," the DJB CEO said. "After the Noida Incident, various measures were taken by the Delhi Jal Board as well. Security measures are being taken across 150 sites where construction is going on," he added," he added.

After the Delhi government ordered an investigation into the matter, the Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood visited the site and vowed strict action against the accused. Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma also visited the site to inspect, as people raised slogans denouncing the government over the incident.

The Delhi Jal Board CEO also said that a committee has been formed to investigate further and to find if any official was responsible for the tragedy. The victim's family has attributed the death to sheer civic negligence.

Also read: Janakpuri Biker Death: FIR Registered Against Contractor, Delhi Jal Board Officials