Assam: 3-year-old dies in uncovered drain; PWD issues show cause notice to contractor
Guwahati: The Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a show cause notice to Bhartia Infra Projects Ltd, the firm responsible for constructing a drain in Assam's Kalapahar, where a three-year-old boy tragically lost his life after falling into an uncovered section on Wednesday, September 3.
The company is also handling flyover construction in the same locality.
Following the incident, PWD officials held an emergency departmental meeting and initiated an inquiry.
“We’ve served a notice to the contractor and will proceed based on their response,” a senior official confirmed on Thursday. “The contractor will also be liable to pay compensation.”
Despite the fatal accident, a visit to the site nearly a day later revealed that the dangerous stretch of the drain remained open and without any barricades, highlighting ongoing neglect and lack of urgency from the authorities and contractors.
The child had reportedly stepped outside his home while his mother and grandmother were occupied with household chores.
He slipped into the open drain, and although local residents rushed to help, they couldn’t save him. His death has sparked widespread anger and grief in the community.
Residents strongly criticized the PWD and the construction company for repeatedly ignoring complaints about the exposed drain.
“We’ve flagged this spot as a hazard for months. Nothing was done. Even after this tragedy, they haven’t covered it,” said SP Bhattacharjya, a resident of Kalapahar. “This isn’t just negligence, it’s criminal irresponsibility.”
His grandfather also expressed deep frustration: “This isn’t a simple mistake. Their failure cost my grandson his life. Someone must be held accountable.”
The incident has drawn comparisons to a recent case at GMCH’s NICU, where authorities arrested a nurse within 24 hours after an infant died due to alleged negligence. Locals questioned why, despite clear liability, no such swift action had been taken in this case.
Authorities from Fatasil Ambari Police Station confirmed that the family filed an FIR against those responsible for maintaining the drain. “We’ve received the complaint and initiated an investigation,” a police official stated.
Even after the tragedy, several stretches of the same drain remain dangerously exposed, fueling fears that more accidents could follow if urgent safety measures aren’t implemented.
For Kalapahar residents, these open drains represent systemic apathy, where development projects continue unchecked, often at the expense of basic public safety—and, in this case, a child’s life.