NEW DELHI: Residents of Dwarka are up in arms against Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for not taking up the project of covering drains, which poses a “grave risk” to life. In the past few months incidents of residents falling into these open drains and injuring themselves have surfaced, which have triggered fear among the residents. Earlier this month, 56-year-old Sudha Devi was returning from Dusshera mela in Dwarka sector 13, when she fell into an open drain around 7pm. According to the police investigation, when the woman was walking on the footpath she could not see the missing lid over the drain and fell into it as the area was poorly lit. Passersby brought the woman out of the drain and took her to a hospital, she was declared dead on arrival. However, when no action was taken against the growing menace of open drains despite repeated requests, the All Dwarka Residents Federation registered an FIR against a chief engineer of Delhi Development Authority of Dwarka zone. “We have repeatedly urged DDA officials to take immediate precautionary measures to ensure such incidents do not occur. The authority is not taking any accountability of the persons injured and the lady who died after falling into an open drain,” said Amit Bhandari, vice-president of the federation. In July this year, Jagmohan Verma, who lives with his family in Dwarka’s Astha apartment in sector 6, was out for a walk around 8 in the evening when he fell into an open manhole. The footpath was poorly lit as trees covered the street lights and Verma didn’t see manhole. He, somehow, got hold of an iron grill at the opening of the hole and pulled himself out with help from passersby. “We have sent many reminders to DDA officials, but nothing has changed. The residents fear for their safety, senior citizens and children can’t go out for a walk or for playing without worrying about falling into the drains,” added Bhandari. DDA did not respond to questions regarding the matter.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/open-drains-dwarka-residents-register-fir-against-delhi-development-authority-engineer/articleshow/95058945.cms