90-degree turn, no signs, ropes too short: Key lapses that led to Noida techie’s death

A27-year-old software package railroad engineer died in the betimes hours of sat after his gondola plunged into a deep, water-filled excavation pit on a vacant plot in Sector 150 of Greater Noida, triggering widespread outrage over civic lapses and a delayed rescue effort.The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, was returning home from his office in Gurugram when his vehicle reportedly lost control in dense fog, smashed through a low boundary at a sharp 90-degree turn and fell into the pit.Fighting all odds, Mehta managed to climb onto the roof of his partially submerged car and called his father for help. For nearly 90 minutes, he pleaded to be taken out of the ditch. By the time he was pulled out, he had died.ALSO READ | CM orders SIT probe into Noida techie’s death; CEO shuntedAn FIR has since been registered against two real estate developers for alleged negligence, including the absence of barricades, reflectors and mandatory safety measures, HT reported earlier. Here are key lapses reported by Noida techie's family and investigators in the aftermath:1. Unsecured water-filled pitOne of the central lapses flagged by officials and investigators was the presence of an open, waterlogged excavation pit next to a public road. The Uttar Pradesh irrigation department and the Noida Authority had delayed the construction of a regulator in Sector 150 to manage water in the area, despite an agreement reached in 2023.As a result of water mismanagement at the confluence of the Hindon and Yamuna rivers, rainwater accumulated unchecked in a dug-up commercial plot, effectively turning it into an unfenced waterbody. With no drainage, monitoring or safety barriers.Official response: Officials of the UP irrigation department and the Noida Authority blamed each other for the delay in installing the rainwater regulator, which they said led to flooding at the site.2. A dangerous road bendThe stretch where the accident occurred features a sharp 90-degree turn, but ground safety measures were minimal. The fencing at the bend was weak enough to be breached by a vehicle, and the area lacked robust crash barriers, advance warning signage and adequate lighting.Poor visibility due to fog compounded the risk, turning what could have been a manageable driving error into a fatal accident.Official response: Manisha Singh, DCP (Traffic), Noida, said the police had “never received any complaint over lack of barricades or signage”.3. No timely rescueDespite a rescue window of around 90 minutes, emergency teams struggled to mount an effective operation. According to officials and eyewitnesses, ropes were too short, cranes could not reach the spot, and responders were not equipped or trained to enter the water safely.Multiple agencies, including police and fire services, and teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the site, but the rescue effort failed.Official response: Hemant Upadhyay, ACP, Noida police, said no one entered the water as rescuers were “afraid that there could be more casualties if they went in without safety measures”.Government actionAmid mounting public anger, the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed Noida Authority chief executive officer Lokesh M from his post and set up a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the circumstances leading to Mehta’s death.According to a statement from the chief minister’s office, the SIT will be headed by additional director general (Meerut zone) Bhanu Bhaskar, with Meerut divisional commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami and Public Works Department (Meerut) chief engineer Ajay Verma as members. The panel has been asked to submit its report to chief minister Yogi Adityanath within five days.(With inputs from Vinod Rajput and Arun Singh)