Noida: In one of the latest cases in a series of accidents caused by open pits and drains across the city, a retired scientist recently escaped death after falling into a 12-foot-deep uncovered drain in Sector 122.Dr RS Sharma (69), a former ICMR scientist and resident of Sector 122, was on his way to activate his new card at the ATM located in the commercial area in PK Block. He walked on the drain cover but found the main gate of the complex locked. Then he saw another gate and tried to reach it. But it was dark and he misjudged the width of the drain. He tripped over the jutting drain wall and fell into it.Dr Sharma said, “Within seconds, I found myself in dirty, foul-smelling water. Being dark, I could not make sense of anything and thought it was all over for me.”However, his swimming skills came to his rescue. “I could make out a pipeline at the base of the drain and used it to get a foothold till help arrived and people pulled me out,” he said. He made an initial self-examination to rule out fractures. It took him a couple of days to recover from the shock, and he has been recuperating at home, nursing a left-knee injury and the skin that peeled off on his right upper arm.The incident comes barely five months after UP govt removed the Noida Authority CEO, placed him on a waitlist and ordered an SIT probe into official negligence — action triggered by the Jan 17 death of software engineer Yuvraj Mehta (27) who fell into an open pit near a drain in Sector 150. Residents say unguarded excavation spots and uncovered drains remain a persistent hazard across Noida.This incident raises critical questions about safety in public spaces, especially for vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. “Dr Sharma’s story is a chilling reminder of the urgent need for improved infrastructure and safety measures in Noida. Open drains are overlooked hazards waiting to ensnare more victims. With a growing population and aspirations to transform Noida into a ‘Smart City’, it is vital that the administration ensures basic safety for its residents,” former RWA president of Sector 122 Umesh Sharma said.On April 6, 2025, another elderly man, Sanjay Singh, fell into an open drain in the Jagat Farm area in Greater Noida. Earlier, on March 1, 2025, 31-year-old Bharat Singh died after his car fell into a drain in the Greater Noida area. He was on his way to a wedding at Rani Rampur when his car fell into a 30-foot-deep drain near Kendriya Vihar area, Sector P4. There were no warning signages.General manager of Noida Authority AK Arora said Rs 1.13 crore has been sanctioned to cover the drains along the 24-metre and 30-metre-wide roads in the PK Block. Tenders will be invited by June 20, 2026. Currently, the drain wall stands 30 centimetres above the surface level of the road and the footpath.“The allottee of Plot No. PK 10, Sector 122, where the incident occurred, is conducting commercial activities on the plot and has opened multiple gates over the drain without adequate safety measures, resulting in accidents involving people leaving the building. We issued a notice to the plot allottee on Aug 21, 2025; however, no corrective measures have been taken. We will review the situation and take action,” Arora told TOI.
