A 69-year-old man died after falling into a deep drainage excavation near the Shila Salve vegetable market at Chitra Chowk in Pune’s Yerawada area, bringing renewed attention to safety arrangements at sites where civic infrastructure work is under way.
The deceased was identified as Pradeep Laxman Pardeshi, a resident of Rajaram Nagar in Kharadi. According to a report by Lokmat – Pune, the incident occurred on October 17 while Pardeshi was travelling towards the vegetable market after finishing work at his shop. A 900-mm-diameter drainage line has been under construction in the area for about two and a half months.
The report said that encroachments along the road and ongoing excavation had reduced the space available for traffic. Pardeshi reportedly lost his balance after being hit by an approaching autorickshaw and fell into an excavation estimated to be between 10 and 15 feet deep beside the road.
Local residents have alleged that the pit was not protected by solid barricading and had only temporary plastic barriers around it. The available report does not establish whether the barricading complied with the work-site safety requirements or whether any formal inspection had taken place before the accident. These questions are now central to the demands for accountability from residents and the victim’s relatives.
Pardeshi was first taken to Rajiv Gandhi Hospital in Yerawada with serious injuries. Doctors found a severe spinal fracture, after which he was shifted to Kivlekar Hospital. He died there at 4.15 am on October 18 while undergoing treatment, reportedly because of internal bleeding.
Pardeshi operated an ironing business near Suryavanshi Tower in the Yerawada area. He is survived by his wife, his 95-year-old mother, three daughters and a son.
The incident has also brought attention to the interaction between excavation work, traffic movement and existing obstructions on narrow urban roads. Local residents and the family have sought an inquiry into whether strong barricades, warning signs and safe pedestrian and vehicle routes had been provided around the drainage work. Municipal corporator Avinash Salve alleged that the administration had repeatedly been informed about encroachments and electricity poles obstructing traffic, but that action had not been taken.
The family has approached the Laxmi Nagar police station and demanded that a case be registered against the contractor allegedly responsible for the accident as well as the officials concerned. The police are investigating the incident. The available report does not state whether charges have been filed or whether the Pune civic administration has announced an independent safety inspection of the work site.
The next formal steps will depend on the police investigation and the authorities’ response to the demand for action against the contractor and officials associated with the drainage project.
