A 27-year-old software engineer drowned after his SUV breached a damaged boundary wall and plunged into a water-filled pit at a commercial construction site in Sector 150 around midnight on Friday, January 17, officials said.
The victim has been identified as Yuvraj Mehta, who was employed with customer data science firm Dunnhumby India in Gurugram. He was returning home from work when the accident occurred.
Trapped in Poor Visibility
Preliminary information suggests that dense fog and inadequate street lighting significantly reduced visibility in the area. While navigating a sharp turn near ATS Le Grandiose, Mehta failed to notice the damaged boundary wall ahead, causing his Maruti Grand Vitara to veer off the road and fall into the flooded excavation pit.
Mehta, who reportedly did not know how to swim, managed to escape from the vehicle and climb onto its roof in an attempt to stay afloat. He repeatedly called his father, Raj Mehta, and switched on his mobile phone’s flashlight, hoping to draw the attention of rescuers.
Rescue Attempts Fall Short
As Mehta resided in the same sector, his father and police personnel reached the site within minutes after receiving his distress calls. However, thick fog hampered visibility, and although they could hear his voice, they were unable to locate him.
A passerby, identified as Moninder, jumped into the cold water to try and rescue Mehta but was also unsuccessful. “Yuvraj kept pleading for help,” he later told The Times of India.
Friends alleged lapses in the initial rescue response. “He was shouting for help while standing on the car roof. The police officers who arrived first said they could not swim. Cranes were brought in, but no one entered the water to save him,” said Mehta’s friend Pankaj Tokas, as quoted by the daily.
Delay in Emergency Response
The police initially alerted the fire department and disaster response teams. According to sources, a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team reached the spot first but lacked the necessary equipment to conduct an effective rescue operation. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team was subsequently called in from Ghaziabad, taking over an hour to arrive.
By around 1:45 a.m., Mehta’s calls for help had stopped. His body was eventually recovered from the pit at approximately 4:30 a.m., several hours after the accident.
Safety Concerns Raised
The incident has raised serious concerns about road safety, poor illumination, and unsecured construction sites in rapidly developing urban areas. Authorities have initiated an inquiry to determine responsibility and assess compliance with safety norms at the construction site.
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