Ahmedabad: In an incident that locals attribute to the negligence of the civic body, a young man riding a motorbike fell into an open pit on the busy Bibi Talav Road in Vatva on Tuesday night. The pit, which had remained unrepaired for over a fortnight, was also not barricaded, according to area residents.
Incident Details
The youth, identified as 24-year-old Ankit Yadav, was riding his motorcycle around 8 pm when he plunged into the pit. The fall prompted locals to alert the Ahmedabad Fire and Rescue Services (AFES). Rescue personnel pulled Yadav out and rushed him to LG Hospital for treatment.
A local resident stated, "Bibi Talav is a busy road. Multiple requests were made to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to barricade and repair the pit, but no action was taken. Around 8 pm on Tuesday, Ankit Yadav fell into it. He and his vehicle were stuck, and locals gathered to help but struggled to bring him out."
Rescue Efforts
The citizen added that insufficient street lighting hampered rescue efforts. Police and AFES teams arrived at the scene. After considerable effort, AFES personnel managed to pull Yadav and his bike out using ropes.
Residents of the area noted that the accident could have been prevented. They said that on April 27, they had written to the deputy engineer about the small pit and the risk it posed. "Despite this, no barricade was set up. On Tuesday night, as Yadav's bike passed over it, the ground around it caved in, making the pit wider and deeper. The accident could have been avoided had timely measures been taken," a resident said.
AMC's Response
Himanshu Mehta, an additional official in the AMC, said, "Around 8 pm on Tuesday, there was a drainage breakdown near Bibi Talav. The barricades set up around this breakdown were broken, leading to the incident where the young man fell into the pit with his bike. Emergency services provided immediate treatment to the biker, and the bike was retrieved with the help of the fire brigade."
Residents continue to demand better maintenance and safety measures on roads to prevent such incidents in the future.
