New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood on Saturday said the government has suspended the officials suspected of negligence in connection with the death of a motorcyclist who fell into a pit dug up for construction work by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in west Delhi's Janakpuri area.
After inspecting the site, Sood said a committee was formed immediately after his visit on Friday morning.
"Immediate action was taken under the guidance of the water minister, and after the chief minister's intervention, all officials suspected of negligence have been suspended," Sood said.
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The minister further added that FIRs have been registered against both the DJB and the contractor involved.
"If any DJB officials are found guilty during the inquiry, cases will be registered against them as well. Legal action is also being taken against the contractor for negligence, and arrests are being carried out as part of the ongoing police action," he said.
The deceased motorcyclist, identified as Kamal, a resident of Kailashpuri and an employee at a private bank's call centre, was on his way home from his office in Rohini when the accident occurred on Friday, police said.
Expressing grief over the loss of a young life, the minister said, "Our pain and sorrow cannot bring the man back, but I assure you that the chief minister is personally monitoring the entire case and ensuring timely updates."
Referring to the traffic disruption in the area, Sood said that the construction work on this key road connecting Vikaspuri and adjoining areas would face delays due to the accident.
"To minimise inconvenience to residents, we are taking necessary steps to ensure smooth movement of traffic on a single carriageway in both directions," he said.
A joint inspection was conducted by officials from the Delhi Police, municipal corporation, Delhi Traffic Police, DJB and the Public Works Department to expedite the restoration of the road.
Sood said the DJB had issued a circular on January 26 directing all departments to ensure compliance with safety norms.
"As the urban development minister, I am also writing to the municipal corporation and other departments. After this incident, we will ensure there are no lapses or negligence is repeated," he said.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the pit was a part of the ongoing DJB construction work, and had been barricaded, the police added.
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New Delhi (PTI): Exit polls can neither be held nor disseminated from 7 am of April 9 till 6.30 pm of April 29 for the five assembly elections taking place this month, the Election Commission has said.
It has also cautioned that conducting or broadcasting exit polls in the period is violative of section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and is "punishable with imprisonment up to a period of two years, or with fine or both".
While Kerala, Assam and Puducherry going for assembly polls on April 9, the electoral exercise will be held in Tamil Nadu on April 23.
In West Bengal, state polls will be held on April 23 and 29.
While the 48 hour 'silence period' in Kerala and Puducherry will commence at 6 pm on Tuesday, it will kick in at 5 pm in Assam.
Silence period means end of campaigning 48 hours ahead of the end of voting hour in a particular constituency or the entire state.
Except door-to-door campaigning by a limited number of party workers or candidate, no other form of campaigning is allowed. But in a digital age, it is difficult to enforce.
Usually voting is held from 7 am to 6 pm. But the timing varies due to terrain and security situation.
