A 61-year-old man died after his two-wheeler fell into an excavated pit at a Kumbh-related work site in Rajiv Nagar, Nashik, on Wednesday evening, prompting a police investigation and a dispute over whether the excavation was adequately barricaded.
The deceased, Prakash Wandeshkar, a resident of Rajiv Nagar, suffered severe head and chest injuries when he fell into the deep pit dug across the road for construction of a box culvert. Residents pulled him out and took him to a local hospital. He was later shifted to the Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His post-mortem examination has been completed.
According to residents cited in the report, the excavation had remained open for several days and did not have adequate barricades or warning signs. They said Wandeshkar entered the work zone at about 7.30pm and fell into the pit along with his two-wheeler. The allegations have raised concerns about how roads affected by ongoing Kumbh works are being separated from traffic and pedestrians after dark.
Former Nashik mayor Dashrath Patil visited the site on Thursday morning and blamed alleged negligence by Nashik Municipal Corporation officials and the contractor. Patil, who has been leading protests over the condition of city roads and potholes, said the barricades around the excavation were difficult to see. He also alleged that adequate warning signs and safety barriers had not been installed.
NMC commissioner Manisha Khatri rejected the allegation of administrative failure. She said barricades had been placed about 200 metres before the excavation because the road lanes were separated by a divider. A second set of barriers, she said, had been installed about 20 metres from the pit. Khatri claimed that the motorcyclist entered the restricted stretch after removing both the initial barricades and the secondary barriers.
The conflicting accounts place the focus on the safety arrangements at a road excavation being carried out as part of works linked to the Kumbh preparations. The incident also comes amid concerns over road conditions at multiple locations where construction activity is under way. For residents, the immediate issue is whether barriers and warning signs are visible and effective enough to prevent vehicles from entering active work zones.
Indiranagar police have registered a case of accidental death and begun an investigation. The police inquiry is expected to establish how Wandeshkar entered the restricted section and whether the excavation, barricading and warning arrangements complied with required safety practices. No further action by the municipal corporation or contractor was specified in the report.
