‘No signs to alert us’: Truck driver recounts accident at Noida pit linked to techie’s death

Yuvraj Mehta lost his life drowning in the pit with no signboards nearby

• 27-year-old techie dies after SUV plunges into flooded pit in Noida Sector-150
• Noida Authority fires junior engineer, issues notices over safety lapses
• Earlier accident survivors cite lack of warning signs.

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A tragic accident in Noida’s Sector-150 has sparked public anger over safety lapses after a 27-year-old tech professional lost his life when his SUV plunged into a flooded pit late Friday night.

The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, later died due to cardiac arrest after remaining trapped for hours, according to his post-mortem report.

Mehta, who lived in Sector-150, was returning home from work around midnight when his vehicle crashed into a nearly 70-foot-deep water-filled drain.

As the SUV fell into the pit, he managed to climb onto the roof in an effort to survive. His father, Raj Mehta, rushed to the spot after learning about the accident and coordinated with police and rescue teams.

Despite hours of attempts by local divers, police personnel and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the rescue operation failed.

Yuvraj’s body was eventually recovered at around 4:30 am. The incident has since triggered sharp criticism of local authorities, with residents questioning the absence of adequate safety measures at the site.

Amid the outrage, the Noida Authority has terminated a junior engineer and issued show-cause notices to other officials associated with traffic and infrastructure work in the area.

Adding to the seriousness of the case, a truck driver who survived a similar accident at the same location earlier this month has come forward with his account. Gurwinder Singh told CNN-News18 that he met with an accident there on the night of January 1.

“There was fog. There was a car moving ahead of my vehicle. After a while, the car turned left, and I turned right. However, on the way ahead, there was a drain on the side of the road. Due to the fog and low visibility, my vehicle plunged into the drain,” he said.

Singh stressed that there were no visible warnings at the site. “There were no signboards to alert us about the drain,” he added.

Describing the moments after the fall, he said he lost balance and fell into the pit. “There was a boy on a scooty passing by. He noticed my ordeal and shouted, ‘Sardaar ji neeche gir gaye’, collecting people from nearby.”

Singh remained stuck for several hours. “I was stranded there for 3-4 hours. After this, I pleaded for help. I even offered them that I would pay for the JCB. However, the JCB didn’t come; instead, they got a ladder,” he recalled.

He was eventually pulled out after prolonged efforts. Reflecting on his survival, Singh said, “May god give those who saved me my years of life.”