Noida: An uprooted electricity pole turned into a fatal obstacle for two youths in Phase 2, after the motorcycle they were on crashed into it on Friday night, leaving one of them dead and the other critically injured.The accident occurred near Panchsheel Balak Inter College where strong winds and heavy rain had caused the pole to fall over and block the adjacent road.According to police, they were alerted about the accident around 3am. When a team reached the spot, they found the youths critically injured. Both were immediately shifted to a private hospital in Sector 137 for treatment.However, one of them, Vishal Kumar, 22, succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Doctors said the second injured individual, Anurag Thakur, a resident of Jeetram Colony in Sector 81, is still undergoing treatment and his condition is being monitored.Kumar, a native of Khatola village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, was employed with an oral health company in Advant Tower in Sector 141. He lived in a rented accommodation in Bhangel. Preliminary investigation suggests both were returning home after work when the incident took place.Officials from the Phase-2 police station said the exact circumstances of the accident are being investigated and CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined to reconstruct the sequence of events.The death of the young professional triggered grief among his family members, who rushed to the hospital after receiving information about the incident. Police have sent the body for post-mortem examination after completing legal formalities.The incident has once again raised concerns over the condition and maintenance of electricity poles in Noida and Greater Noida. Local residents claimed that several trees and electricity poles were uprooted during the storm, posing a major threat to commuters especially at night.Similar incidents have been reported in the region earlier as well. In May 2025, several vehicles were damaged after a pole collapsed on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway during a storm. Residents also flagged concerns over leaning poles near the Sector 101 Metro station in June last year.Experts believe poor maintenance, ageing infrastructure and weak foundations are major reasons behind such incidents. Former electricity department officials said many cement and iron poles installed years ago have become structurally weak due to lack of timely inspection and replacement.Construction activity, road widening projects and excavation work near poles often weaken their foundations, while excessive load on wires and illegal electricity connections further increase pressure on the structures, one official added.Authorities and safety experts have stressed the need for regular surveys and inspections before the monsoon and storm season. They suggested that tilted, rusted or damaged poles should be replaced immediately and warning signs or barricades should be installed near vulnerable locations.
