A tragic incident occurred in Maharashtra’s Thane district on Wednesday when a young boy drowned in an open pit dug for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. Following the incident, local police have registered a case against the contractor responsible for the site.
According to officials, the pit was excavated in the Shilphata area as part of the ongoing construction work for the high-speed rail corridor. The boy, identified as a local resident aged around 10 years, reportedly fell into the water-filled pit while playing nearby. Locals rushed to the scene but were unable to save him in time.Mumbai-
Emergency services later recovered the boy’s body, and an autopsy confirmed drowning as the cause of death.
Residents of the area expressed anger and grief over the incident, accusing the authorities and contractors of negligence. “There was no barricading, no warning signs. The site was left completely unguarded, and this could have been avoided,” said a local resident.
Following a preliminary inquiry, police have booked the contractor under charges of causing death due to negligence. Officials from the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is overseeing the bullet train project, have said they are cooperating fully with the investigation.
“We are deeply saddened by this incident. Safety is a top priority in all our projects, and we are reviewing protocols to ensure such incidents do not happen again,” an NHSRCL spokesperson said.
The incident has sparked calls for stricter safety measures and accountability at infrastructure project sites, particularly those located in densely populated areas.
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