40-foot-deep water pit left unguarded: Questions galore after Amity student's death at Noida construction site

The death of a 21‑year‑old Amity University student by drowning at a construction site in Noida has raised several questions over administrative failure. The incident occurred on an unfinished site owned by the Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) and monitored by the Noida Authority. 

The stretch, which resembles the deep, waterlogged plots of Sector 150, reportedly contains up to 30–40 feet of stagnant water. While UPRNN has installed barricades along three sides of the site, one side remains largely exposed, with only a flimsy metal sheet in place, which eyewitnesses say is now broken, offering easy access to the hazardous pit.

Locals have long complained that the site acts as an open dumping ground for garbage and some youths reportedly visit at night to consume intoxicants. 

About the incident

According to officials, Harshit Bhatt went into a nearby waterlogged area to bathe but unexpectedly slipped into deeper water and started drowning. In an effort to rescue him, three of his friends also entered the water. Upon receiving a distress call, police teams rushed to the spot along with local divers. Rescuers managed to pull out all three safely, but Harshit could not be found in time. 

Witnesses described the water as dirty and unsafe for swimming, raising serious questions about why the group chose to enter it.

Residents in the vicinity say that Harshit and his friends had been to the site before; photos allegedly uploaded by Harshit on Instagram on March 7 and 11 from the same plot suggest repeated visits. It remains unclear why a construction site with deep, contaminated water and incomplete barricades was accessible enough for such gatherings.

Family says Harshit was swimmer  

The family of Harshit, who lived in Shipra Riviera Society, Indirapuram, is devastated. He was a 6th‑semester Bachelor of Physical Education student at Amity University and was reportedly a capable swimmer, a fact that has left his parents struggling to accept that he drowned. 

Harshit’s father, an Indian government official currently posted in Ladakh, is returning home for the final rites, while his mother has declined to speak to the media amid overwhelming grief.

Family members have demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.