A crucial government letter written three years ago could have prevented the tragic death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta in Noida. Instead, the document was buried in files, and the warning it carried went unheeded with fatal consequences.
In 2023, the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department formally alerted the Noida Authority about a dangerous water-filled pit in Sector 150. The department recommended installing head regulators to channel excess rainwater and drainage into the Hindon river, preventing water accumulation. Budgetary provisions were also reportedly made. However, the letter was never acted upon, and the project remained on paper.
On a foggy Friday night, Yuvraj was returning home from his office in Gurugram. Less than a kilometre from his residence at Tata Eureka Park, his car lost control due to poor visibility and plunged into an under-construction basement filled with water. Trapped inside, Yuvraj called his father for help. Police and fire teams rushed to the spot, but dense fog and lack of preparedness delayed rescue efforts.
For nearly 90 minutes, Yuvraj reportedly cried out for help, using his phone’s torch to signal rescuers. He drowned before he could be saved. His body was recovered hours later.
The incident has sparked outrage and renewed focus on administrative lapses. Residents say the pit lacked barricades, reflectors, or warning signs. Officials later admitted that water had accumulated not only due to rain but also because of discharge from nearby residential drains.
Following the tragedy, the Yogi Adityanath government constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) and removed Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M from his post. An FIR has also been filed against real estate developers, though one firm has denied responsibility, citing a past transfer of the plot.
Yuvraj’s father has demanded strict accountability, saying no family should suffer such a loss due to official negligence.
