Watch where you're going

With parts of Connaught Place (CP) resembling a war-ravaged zone, the question of safety of shoppers and other commuters has cropped up once again.

With parts of Connaught Place (CP) resembling a war-ravaged zone, the question of safety of shoppers and other commuters has cropped up once again.

HT Image

On Thursday evening, an autorickshaw plunged into one of the dug-up pits near F block, leaving the driver injured.

Contractors have dug up pits to build subways in the market but haven't made adequate arrangements for pedestrians who have to walk dangerously close to the rushing traffic.

Even in its earlier works such as building pavements and corridors, there were no barricades to prevent accidents.

Currently, work is also on at some of the corridors where iron bars have replaced ladders to help workers climb up to cement the roofs. But even these structures are not barricaded. Many people have complained of cement falling on them.

The problem aggravates at night when there is a lack of proper lighting.

In the case of auto driver Satish Kumar, one of the reasons why his vehicle fell into the pit is lack of enough light in the area.

Though the police have registered a case against the contractor for not putting up signages and barricades warning commuters of the lurking dangers, they said the driver was drunk. He was taken to RML Hospital after the accident.

Police have registered a case under section 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC against AFCON, the contractor.

A senior New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) official said the accident spot was barricaded but workers had temporarily removed the barricade to allow a vehicle to pass.

This was when the drunken auto driver tried to get in. He was stopped but he did not listen and drove right into the pit, the official said.