Open drains on footpath- a grave danger for pedestrians in Dwarka

Dwarka: Footpaths of Dwarka city are posing a grave danger for the pedestrians. The cause is the open manholes with missing drain covers, that can be seen in many footpaths across the sub-city. Be it a master plan road footpath or a footpath inside the sectors, many footpaths seem to be inflicted with this problem of missing drain covers. 

One such open drain can be spotted at one of the most prominent places over the footpath near the signals of Sector 3/4/12/13. This spot just at the signal has been open for more than six months. The depth of the drain is about 10 feet. In case an unsuspecting person falls into this drain, the consequences could be very serious. 

Incidents of pedestrians falling into these open drains and getting injured are often reported in the city. Four years back, the wife of JC Malhotra, a senior citizen and resident of Welcome CGHS (Cooperative Group Housing Society) got badly hurt as she fell into the drain in Sector 3. The cover of the drain on the footpath was missing. Again, in 2019 September, JC Malhotra, in his eighties, somehow narrowly escaped from the fall due to missing cover of the drain on the footpath near Batiuk Ji and National Apartments Sector 3.

Also read | Dwarka: Decrepit, encroached footpaths cry for attention

Following these incidents Malhotra started a campaign against these unsafe footpaths. He wrote to various authorities and also approached the area Councilor and MLA with appeal to properly maintain the footpaths so that no such accidents are repeated. But his efforts went in vain except the covering of a particular place where the cover was missing and for which the complaint was made by him.

Malhotra is worried about the condition of such footpaths and says, “ If someone was to fall into one of these open drains then that could prove fatal. I am myself a victim as my wife was in bed for a long time due to injury sustained when she fell into one such open drain. Despite my campaign, the authorities did nothing. Today I cannot do anything but feel sad about the whole issue. Who would be responsible if such an accident takes place again?”

The photograph in the story is of the footpath near the signals of sector 3/4/12/13. One can imagine the gravity of the subject as the drain is about 10 feet deep and pedestrians use this footpath to cross the signal.

Residents, mainly senior citizens, say that these footpaths are nothing but death traps and the civic bodies are still not concerned. They said that now because of open manholes and missing covers on the footpaths over the deep drain, they have no choice but to walk on the main road. Ramesh Mumukshu, a resident of Sector 16B says, “ Authorities need to take the safe pedestrian concept seriously and it must be visible on the ground. Such open drains are telling the story of a blatant irresponsible approach of the civic bodies.”