Srinagar, May 22: A photojournalist was injured after he fell into an uncovered pit at Lal Chowk area here.
The photojournalist Bilal Ahmad of Sopore was injured when he fell into an open pit while taking pictures of Smart City works at Lal Chowk. His camera and phone were damaged in this incident.
“My colleagues tried to help me, but he too fell into the pit as it was deep. Other people gathered and finally helped me to get out of it. I was unable to see. I was rushed to SMHS hospital, but then my parents shifted me to Eye hospital in Nowgam. My eye was injured and now I could not properly see from my left eye also. My ear is also badly injured," he said.
Bilal expressed his anguish over lack of safety measures around the pit near Biscoe School.
“This incident should serve as a wake-up call for the authorities overseeing development of Srinagar. It highlights the critical need to prioritise safety measures, particularly around construction sites and open pit, to safeguard lives of pedestrains” Bilal said.
An official of Srinagar Municipal Corporation said they have not left any manhole without cover and this matter pertains to Smart City Limited.
An official of the Smart City Limited said that they have constructed trenches where five cable wires are grounded.
"I don't know how it was left open. We will check it," he said.
