Another unguarded excavation pit in central Delhi, but eyes wide shut

New Delhi: An unguarded pit in west Delhi's Janakpuri took a life on Friday morning. In central Delhi, another massive, unbarricaded excavation pit at Central Square-DCM Flatted Factory Complex may also pose danger, with residents warning that the site could "claim a life at any moment" if urgent action is not taken.The pit, estimated to spread over nearly seven acres at Bara Hindu Rao, was dug over a decade ago for the Plaza 4 commercial project. It still remains open and largely unsecured — long stretches along internal roads have no fencing, warning signage or lighting, despite daily movement of people inside the complex. The excavated area is surrounded by dense, overgrown vegetation as construction activity was halted long ago. Trees and shrubs have grown unchecked inside and around the pit, while stagnant greenish water has collected at the bottom. Garbage, debris and soil have been dumped along the edges, concealing the depth of the pit. While more than 400 labourers, along with their families, live in temporary shelters close to the site, a few offices operate from the premises. "The pit is so dangerous that even a small mistake can take someone's life. We don't know when or how an accident may happen," said the owner of an office at the complex, adding that the site has become increasingly threatening over the years. Jagdish Singh, who had booked a shop years ago, said fear among local people had grown following a recent accident involving an open pit in Noida. "This place has remained unsafe for years and nothing has changed," the 71-year-old rued.Labourers pointed out that they negotiated the narrow lanes inside the complex every day. "Our children also use them. There is no safety, no barricade. This is a decade-old issue and it can take lives any time," one of them said.The pit is visible from metro trains, claimed loc-als. "It looks like a river from a distance. We have been flagging the issue with authorities for years, but no act-ion has been taken," an office-owner said.According to residents, the Central Square pit has remained exposed for 12-15 years despite repeated complaints to civic, police and environmental authorities. They alleged that mandatory safety measures, including high protective barricades required under environme-ntal clearance norms, were never implemented.Urban planning and safety experts warn that deep, long-abandoned excavations in dense urban areas posed severe risks, particularly during rain, poor visibility and high pedestrian movement, and must be either securely barricaded or backfilled.Locals have sought immediate action, warning that continued inaction could result in a fatal accident. "We don't want action after someone dies. We want prevention," one of them said.Responding to the allegations, a spokesperson of one of the builders said the excavation pit was around 20-30 feet deep and the construction work at the site had been halted due to ongoing litigation. "The project is still under construction and will be completed once the issues are resolved," he said.The spokesperson claimed that the site was largely barricaded, adding that fencing was missing only in a few patches. "The remaining barricading work is already under process and will be completed by the end of Feb. Every life is important to us and we do not want any dangerous situation around the site." Several buyers have written to the authorities, including Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Police, labour department and National Green Tribunal, seeking urgent action. There was no immediate response from MCD to queries sent by TOI.