Janakpuri Tragedy Exposes Persistent Safety Failures at Civic Worksites
In a tragic incident that has shaken the Janakpuri community, Kamal Dhyani was found dead in a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) open pit on Joginder Singh Marg last Friday. Despite the fatality, residents continue to live in fear of a repeat occurrence, as safety measures at the site remain alarmingly inadequate.
Compromised Barricades and Ongoing Hazards
A day after the accident, a spot check revealed that heavy iron barricades imprinted with "CAUTION" lined the site. However, the perimeter was severely compromised, with one large metal partition displaced and lying on the ground. Locals alleged that some barricading was in place before the accident but was not installed properly, leaving a gap wide enough for a motorcycle to pass through. They claimed that the green netting now covering this gap was only installed after the tragic event.
Adding to the danger, a tent at the site, likely meant for labourers, appeared abandoned, and children were seen climbing over railings to enter and exit the "restricted" zone. Six girls were observed playing dangerously close to the spot, tugging at the police tape marking the area. In a chilling remark, a Class VIII student from nearby Possangipur joked, "Today's breaking news is that she narrowly escaped falling," gesturing towards her friend.
Systemic Negligence and Hasty Cover-ups
Residents reported that several other open pits and sewers in the area were covered overnight following the accident. Pointing to a spot just a few steps from Friday's site, a 64-year-old man recounted, "In the recent past, I have helped several motorcyclists who got stuck in the mud near the open sewer." It is suspected that a slushy, muddy patch may have caused Dhyani to skid on Friday. A pump at the site previously opened into an uncovered gutter, which the elderly man said appeared to have been hastily filled with debris and stones.
Naresh Bansal, an 81-year-old retired HR manager living next to the site, expressed frustration, stating, "Had they taken precautions earlier, he could have been saved." The stretch, one of the busiest in Janakpuri, has at least four more open pits. While this road was dug up within the past year, residents noted that a nearby stretch had remained under excavation for much longer. "Entire Janakpuri is just pits now," Bansal alleged, adding that another road just a left turn away has been filled up, yet buses are not allowed to ply.
Community Outcry and Calls for Accountability
Dr. Ayushi Sinha, a 28-year-old dental surgeon who moved to Janakpuri last July, described the constant changes due to excavation. "The road is completely blocked on one side. When we go for a walk, we don't know where to go. We are scared. The death was so unfortunate," she said. People living and working in the locality emphasized that the incident has exposed persistent safety lapses at civic worksites and stressed that safety measures should not be implemented only after a fatality.
The tragedy underscores a broader issue of civic negligence and the urgent need for proactive safety protocols to prevent such incidents in the future. As Janakpuri residents grapple with fear and frustration, the call for accountability and immediate action grows louder.
