NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to provide Rs 20 lakh as compensation to the family of a mother and her three-year-old son who tragically died after falling into an open waterlogged drain in July.
Initially, the DDA had offered Rs 15 lakh, but a bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan encouraged the authority to increase the amount to Rs 20 lakh, citing it as the standard compensation in such cases.
The court’s order, also issued by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, noted the DDA’s stance: “Without admitting any liability and as a humanitarian gesture, the DDA is willing to pay Rs 20 lakh to the legal heirs of the deceased, Tanuja and Priyansh.” The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Jhunnu Lal Srivastava, a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase 3, seeking accountability for the deaths and calling for action against the contractor and DDA officials involved.
The tragic incident occurred on July 31 during heavy rains in Delhi-NCR when Tanuja (22) and her son Priyansh drowned in a half-open, under-construction drain in the waterlogged streets of Ghazipur in East Delhi. The drain had been left uncovered after construction work by a DDA contractor, according to the Delhi Police.
The police informed the court that a draft chargesheet has been prepared in the case, with a final charge sheet pending approval from relevant authorities. The police’s counsel had earlier explained that the contractor’s negligence, by leaving the drain open, directly contributed to the incident.
With this information presented, the court concluded that no further orders were necessary and closed the case proceedings. Additionally, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) assured the court that all repair, redevelopment and construction work in the area where the incident occurred would be completed by December. However, after reviewing photographs of the site, the court expressed concern over the area’s condition, pointing out that it was “still quite dirty” and urged the civic body to clean the area promptly, especially as dengue cases were rising in the city.
Last month, the court criticized the DDA, highlighting their failure to properly supervise the contractor’s work, which ultimately led to the deaths. The court had previously instructed the DDA to address compensation for the family and submit their response before the next hearing.
What happened on July 31
The case pertains to a tragic incident that occurred on July 31, when Tanuja (22) and her son three-year-old son, Priyansh, drowned in a half-open, under-construction drain in the waterlogged streets of Ghazipur in East Delhi.