A tragic accident on a flyover in northwest Delhi has exposed a glaring lapse in safety infrastructure, leading to the death of a young man. The incident occurred in the early hours of New Year's Day at Netaji Subhash Place.
Details of the Fatal Incident
Sourabh, a 27-year-old man, fell to his death from the flyover while returning from a New Year's party in Rohini. He was riding a scooter with his friend, Priyanka, aged 30. The police were alerted around 4 am on Sunday. Upon arrival, they found Priyanka lying on the flyover near the damaged scooter, while Sourabh's body was discovered on the road beneath the elevated structure. He was declared dead at the scene.
Priyanka later informed the police that the scooter had slipped on its own and that there was no collision with another vehicle. No helmets were recovered from the accident site, and Priyanka stated that they had consumed alcohol prior to the incident, according to a senior police officer.
Critical Safety Lapses Uncovered
A subsequent spot inspection of the flyover revealed the shocking absence of crucial safety measures. The space between the two carriageways connecting Rohini and Pitampura was found to be flanked only by a short wall and an iron railing, each less than three feet high.
The gap between the carriageways is approximately one foot wide and completely uncovered by any protective barriers or safety nets. This dangerous opening made it possible for a person to fall through during a high-impact incident, depending on the vehicle's speed. The height from the flyover to the road below ranges from 12 to 15 feet along the stretch.
Beneath the flyover, the area houses a police booth, pedestrian crossings, and spots where homeless people sleep, highlighting the severe risk to people below. The flyover is surrounded by malls, cafes, office complexes, and a banquet hall, with the road underneath lined with stalls and eateries, making it a perpetually busy zone.
Families Reel from the Loss
Sourabh and Priyanka were neighbours from Chuna Bhatti in Kirti Nagar, west Delhi. Sourabh assisted his father in running their family clothes business operated from their home, while Priyanka is employed in the banking sector.
Priyanka's mother, Nirmala, recounted that her daughter had gone to Rohini for the party late on Saturday night with two acquaintances, including Sourabh. A third person who accompanied them stayed back in a hotel due to the late hour. Nirmala stated the family was asleep and unaware of the exact departure time. She received the devastating call from the police around 5 am on Sunday.
"My daughter told me that she only remembers getting onto the flyover and doesn't know what happened after that," Nirmala said, describing her daughter's fragmented memory of the catastrophic event.
This fatal accident has cast a harsh spotlight on the urgent need for auditing and upgrading safety features on Delhi's flyovers and elevated roads to prevent such preventable tragedies in the future.
