Wherever you look, your safety is left to chance

New Delhi: Deep pits alongside busy roads; men, women and children jumping across dug up stretches; iron bars jutting out of open ditches – across the city, unsecured and unmarked construction zones continue to pose risks to motorists and pedestrians.Earlier this month, a 27-year-old software engineer drowned after his car fell into a waterlogged under-construction site in Noida.
A TOI spot check in Delhi reveals there are several unsecured construction sites that leave citizens vulnerable to similar accidents. At Lodhi Road, heaps of excavated soil were found piled along the road median, marked only by loose green netting lying on the ground. The uneven mound narrows the carriageway and offers little visual warning to approaching vehicles and pedestrians, particularly during peak traffic hours.At Greater Kailash-I, a deep ditch running parallel to the road was found partially covered with green plastic sheets, with water accumulating along the edges. The covering sagges as traffic continued to move dangerously close to the pit. In the absence of solid barricades, reflectors or warning lights, the excavation blends into the road surface during low visibility, increasing the risk of vehicles skidding or veering into it.At Sarai Kale Khan, a wide, water-filled pit dug to lay pipelines was seen barely fenced off with metal sheets and netting. Located along a busy arterial road, the excavation exposed a large cavity filled with muddy water, while two-wheelers and cars passed just inches away. The lack of proper barricading and signage makes the site especially hazardous at night or during rainfall.Several locations also had deep and elongated potholes along extended stretches of road without any covers. While green plastic sheets were placed at a few sites, they were loosely fixed and appeared inadequate to prevent vehicles or pedestrians from falling in. In the absence of proper lighting, cones or metal barricades, these temporary arrangements offer little protection or warning.In many cases, construction work has remained incomplete for weeks due to construction bans, with temporary coverings shifting due to traffic movement, rain or wind, leaving pits exposed.Near the Pragati Maidan railway line, a black pipeline was placed next to an open drain alongside the busy road. Blue utility pipes were laid parallel to it and fixed along the edge of the uncovered drain. Traffic moved slowly amid parked cars, stacked construction material and a temporary blue structure, indicating ongoing civic or repair work.The Public Works Department did not respond to queries regarding the lack of safety measures.A traffic police official, who refused to be named, said proper barricading and safety arrangements have to be made by the agencies carrying out the work. He added that once the work is completed, all markings and obstructions must be removed and the road restored to its original condition to ensure public safety and avoid traffic congestion.