Gurgaon: Two members of a family sustained injuries when their motorcycle fell into an uncovered roadside pit in Sector 95 on Sunday evening, sparking outrage over civic negligence. Residents claim they had repeatedly alerted the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) about the hazard for weeks, but no action was taken.
Accident Details
The incident occurred around 8 pm on Pataudi Road, where an open drain chamber had been left exposed for the past month, according to local residents. Even hours after the accident, the motorcycle remained trapped inside the pit, and the site continued to be unsafe, locals alleged.
Residents' Concerns
Ravi Kumar, a Sector 95 resident who first documented the open pit nearly three weeks ago, said, "The incident was waiting to happen. For weeks there was no urgency, no safety cover, not even warning signs. It honestly felt like the authorities were waiting for a serious accident." Residents shared complaints, videos, and warnings about the dangerous spot with officials multiple times, but no barricading or permanent repair work was carried out.
Official Response
Following the accident, senior officials, including MCG Commissioner Pradeep Singh and other engineering staff, visited the site late Sunday night. According to residents, the commissioner directed officials to immediately cover the open pit and secure the area. However, the MCG commissioner remained unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.
MCG Executive Engineer Suhil Thakran denied the allegations, claiming the site was already barricaded and the motorcyclist was hit by a car from behind, which removed the barricade. "These are false allegations. We visited the site on Monday and the drain was open because it had to be cleaned. After it is cleaned, it will be covered by its slab cover," said Thakran.
Public Outcry
Residents accused civic agencies of ignoring repeated alerts despite the location being a busy stretch frequently used by commuters. Praveen Malik, RWA president of Rising Homes in Sector 92, said, "What shocked us was that after midnight the bike was still lying there. No barricading, no proper response, nothing. It looked completely abandoned despite such a major accident. This is not just negligence. This is a complete failure of accountability and public safety. Tomorrow it could be someone else's father, mother or child."
