Gurgaon: Daily commuting for motorists and pedestrians is not without peril. Civic authorities — it seems — have failed to learn any lessons from the recent incidents in Delhi’s Janakpuri and Noida, where open pits led to the deaths of two youngsters.“In trying to avoid one obstruction, people often end up hitting another,” president of Essel Tower RWA Rajeev Sinha told TOI, referring to a half-constructed drain. The city roads are full of unbarricaded drains, open manholes and exposed iron rods. Key roads across the city — such as MG Road, Galleria Market and Sector 69 — are dotted with deep pits, some filled with water, left unguarded without any warning signs. At certain spots, iron rods protrude dangerously from partially completed structures.On MG Road, ongoing drain construction has left portions of the roadside dug up. At several spots, deep pits lie exposed, while iron rods jut out from partially completed structures. With heavy traffic flow throughout the day and potholes marking the stretch, commuters say a momentary lapse in attention could lead to a serious accident. “Right at the entrance to the society, there is an open pit posing a serious risk of a major mishap. It is extremely dangerous, especially for two-wheelers and pedestrians. The half-constructed drain is an open invitation to accidents. At night, visibility is poor and there are hardly any reflective boards or caution signs. There was no planning and execution was done in a shoddy manner,” added Essel Tower RWA president Sinha. On the road leading to Galleria Market, several drain covers remain either open or loosely covered. Near a liquor shop in Sector 70, an under-construction drain left behind a gaping pit close to the roadside. With no barricading and no clear warning signs, the spot has become hazardous after dark. Residents claim that the pit remained open for days without any visible effort to secure it properly. In Sector 69, a pit due to drain work remained filled with stagnant sewage water. The waterlogged surface conceals its actual depth, making it particularly dangerous. “It may look like just a puddle, but you don’t know how deep it is. The junction is already in bad condition and motorists could easily skid and fall. We fail to understand why they don’t take proactive measures and only act when incidents happen,” said Yugul Kishore Dwivedi, a resident of Sector 69. As per the safety norms, construction sites should be adequately barricaded, illuminated and marked with cautionary signage to prevent accidents. However, across several parts of the city, these measures appear to be either missing or insufficient, putting safety in jeopardy.Along Umang Bhardwaj Chowk and Hero Honda Chowk, fencing on the portions of the under-construction drain has been done. However, instead of solid barricades, barbed wire was used in some places. This stretch is under redevelopment undertaken by NHAI. While intended to restrict access, residents say the use of barbed wire poses an additional risk of injury in case of a fall or collision. When asked about the fencing through barbed wires, NHAI said “it was done by MCG”. A GMDA official said, Appropriate barricading and other precautionary measures are being implemented. Teams are conducting inspections and takingactions. Manhole construction works are currently underway.”
