Noida Water-Pit Barricades Removed in 2021 After Ad Dispute: Plot Owner in Techie Death Case

Noida: The owner of a Greater Noida plot where a 27-year-old software engineer tragically drowned earlier this month informed a local court that the site had been properly barricaded in the past. According to the plot owner, the barricades were removed in July 2021 after the Noida Authority ordered their dismantling due to an advertising-related dispute.

The incident occurred on the intervening night of January 16 and 17, when Yuvraj Mehta’s vehicle plunged into a flooded trench at the Sector 150 site. For nearly two hours, Mehta reportedly stood atop his submerged vehicle as rescue teams delayed entering the water body, citing freezing temperatures and the presence of submerged iron rods.

Following the incident, police arrested Abhay Kumar, director of MZ Wiztown Planners, along with Ravi Bansal and Sachin Karanwal, associates of real estate firm Lotus Greens. An FIR has been registered under multiple sections, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing death by negligence.

Separately, another case has been filed against representatives of both firms for allegedly violating environmental regulations linked to the site.

What the Developer Told the Court

During a hearing on Tuesday, legal counsel representing MZ Wiztown Planners—the developer named as an accused—told the court that the Noida Authority had ordered the removal of barricades from the Sector 150 plot. The Authority also reportedly imposed a penalty of Rs 6 lakh for allegedly displaying illegal advertisements.

The developer stated that barricades had existed at the site before July 2021 but were dismantled after the Authority directed the removal of promotional material related to its ‘Artham’ project. This followed a broader ban imposed on the Noida Sports City project earlier that year, in January 2021.

Wiztown’s counsel further submitted that the company had repeatedly flagged serious safety concerns to the Noida Authority well before the fatal accident.

In a letter dated March 14, 2022, addressed to the Authority’s CEO, the developer warned that collapsed sewer and drainage lines maintained by the Authority were causing persistent flooding on the plot. The letter highlighted that the situation posed a grave safety risk, citing soil erosion, a sinking approach road, and even instability in the barricades that had once been installed.

The company urged the Authority to urgently restore the damaged sewer infrastructure and remove accumulated water to prevent potential accidents.

Noida Authority Responds

According to officials, the land in question was previously owned by Lotus Greens and was acquired by Wiztown Planners during 2019–20 after receiving the required approvals from the Noida Authority.

A senior Authority official clarified that the action taken against the Artham project was strictly limited to the removal of illegal advertisements.

“The developer was never asked to compromise on safety measures. Simple barricades without advertisements could have been installed,” the official said.

SIT Probe and Earlier Warnings

The Uttar Pradesh government has since constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the circumstances leading to the techie’s death.

Earlier reports revealed that the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department had flagged the need to construct head regulators in Sector 150 to channel rainwater and drainage into the Hindon River. Although funding provisions for the project were reiterated in a 2023 communication, the work was reportedly never executed.

As investigations continue, the case has raised serious questions about regulatory oversight, inter-departmental coordination, and accountability in rapidly developing urban zones like Noida.