• Source:JND

In a major development in the death case of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned after his car plunged into a water-filled ditch in Noida’s Sector 150, it has emerged that official warnings about the site were issued years before the accident. According to news agency PTI, the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department had written to the Noida Authority nearly three years ago, flagging the risk posed by the drainage ditch. Local residents had also raised complaints twice with the authorities, citing daily problems caused by poor infrastructure in the area.

UP Irrigation Department’s Letter To Noida Authority

The Irrigation Department’s letter highlighted the urgent need to install a head regulator at the drainage ditch to divert excess rainwater safely into the Hindon River. A head regulator helps control water flow and prevents the accumulation of excess silt in drains and canals. The letter also noted that funds had already been sanctioned for the project. However, the proposal reportedly remained buried in official files, and the work was never initiated.

ALSO READ: Noida Techie Death: Authority Orders Citywide Road Safety Audit To Fix Potholes, Black Spot Mapping And More

Meanwhile, a Noida Authority official told PTI that the department was unaware of any such communication. The official also claimed that the water in which Yuvraj’s car was submerged was not rainwater but had accumulated from nearby residential areas.

Residence Letters To Gautam Buddha Nagar MP Dr Mahesh Sharma

According to The Indian Express, residents had raised concerns about poor civic conditions nearly four and a half months before the incident. They wrote to Gautam Buddha Nagar MP Dr Mahesh Sharma, flagging issues such as inadequate street lighting, damaged roads, waterlogging, and open drains. Acting on the complaint, Sharma forwarded the letter to Noida Authority CEO Dr Lokesh M on September 2, requesting necessary action.

The representation was sent on August 27, 2025, by residents of Samridhi Luxuriya Avenue, a housing society located next to the water-filled ditch. They highlighted seven problems affecting daily life, including persistent water accumulation, the urgent need for road repairs, installation of CCTV cameras, and the absence of street lights. Ahead of the tragedy, the Uttar Pradesh government removed Lokesh from the CEO post on Monday and placed him on the waitlist.

While talking to Indian Express, Gautam Buddha Nagar MP Dr Mahesh Sharma on Monday said, “When people write to us with complaints, we forward them to the authorities concerned. In this case also, the people of the locality wrote to me and I forwarded that letter to the Noida authorities with a covering letter asking them to take the action deemed fit, and to inform me.”

Second Latter By Residence To Noida Authority 

Four months after MP Mahesh Sharma forwarded the initial letter to the Noida Authority, a fresh complaint was raised over open sewers in the area. The online complaint, filed by Kunal Bhatia, a resident of Tata Eureka Park where Yuvraj lived, is still marked as “pending” on the official website, residents said.

“Street lights are either not installed or are out of order at many places in the area, which leads to darkness at night and increases the security risk. The condition of the roads in the area is very bad, which has increased the possibility of accidents and is causing inconvenience to the general public,” the letter stated.

ALSO READ: Noida Techie Death: CM Yogi Orders SIT Probe, Noida Authority CEO Sacked | What We Know So Far

Yuvraj Mehta Accident Case?

Yuvraj Mehta lost his life due to systemic negligence in Greater Noida. The software engineer’s death resulted from a lack of coordination between two departments, administrative shortcomings, and negligence related to a project worth Rs 4.30 crore. In 2023, the Noida Authority claimed that the sewer line work in Sector-150, costing Rs 4.30 crore, had been completed, but the reality was far from it.


Also In News