The Pune Municipal Corporation has issued a show-cause notice to the contractor working on a sewer pipeline project in Yerwada after a citizen died following an accident at an excavation site, citing prima facie lapses in safety arrangements and ordering a detailed response within 24 hours.
The accident took place at Chitra Chowk on October 17 while drainage work was under way, according to the notice issued by the executive engineer of the civic body’s Sewerage Maintenance and Repair Department. Pradeep Pardeshi was seriously injured in the incident and died on October 18, the notice stated.
The municipal corporation has asked the contractor to explain whether the worksite had adequate barricading, protective railings, warning boards, lighting, reflectors, a safe alternative route and appropriate traffic-control arrangements. It has said that the safety measures required at the site either had not been implemented properly or contained serious deficiencies. The notice does not yet record a final finding on negligence or legal responsibility for the accident.
The contractor has also been directed to provide records showing the exact condition of the work at the time of the accident, the location and extent of the excavation and the sequence of events. The civic body has sought the names and details of the appointed contractor representative, project manager, site engineer, supervisor and safety officer.
Other documents requested include inspection reports prepared before work began and on the day of the accident, the site order book and safety inspection records. The corporation has also asked whether any complaint, warning or prior indication of danger had been received from citizens and, if so, what action was taken in response.
The notice seeks details of the assistance provided to the injured person, ambulance and medical services, communication with the police and intimation to the municipal corporation. Insurance documents, including public liability insurance, workers’ insurance and records related to compensation, have also been requested.
Under condition 14 of the work order, the contractor is required to take precautions for the safety of citizens, motorists and workers. The notice specifically refers to the responsibility of securing excavated or open areas, installing fencing and providing sufficient lighting at night when work is carried out on a public road.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Navalkishor Ram said the legal process to blacklist the contractor had been started. The administration has ordered that the site be secured immediately and that all necessary safety measures be implemented.
The contractor has also been instructed to preserve CCTV footage, photographs, videos, site registers, worker attendance records and correspondence, without altering or tampering with the documents. Further excavation or related work cannot resume without departmental permission or a satisfactory safety inspection by the competent authority.
The municipal corporation has warned that failure to submit a response within the stipulated period, or submission of an unsatisfactory explanation, could result in a decision based on the available records. It has said that no separate opportunity would be provided before such an action.
