Lucknow. To strengthen the security arrangements along the Indira Canal in Nagara area, iron railings and barricades have been installed for several kilometers. Amidst the rising water level and strong current of the canal during the rainy season, this railing is acting as a safety shield for the pedestrians and the nearby villagers. Due to barricading on the canal tracks, the risk of people unknowingly going towards the canal has reduced.
The memory of the painful accident that took place in the year 2019 near Patwa Kheda of Nagaram area is still in the minds of the residents of the area. At that time an uncontrolled pickup had fallen into the canal. Six innocent children lost their lives in the accident. The bodies of five children were recovered, while the body of one child has not been found till date. After the accident, questions continued to be raised regarding the security arrangements along the canal.
During the rainy season, as the water in the canal increases, the flow also increases. In such a situation, there was a danger of pedestrians and villagers passing through the canal track slipping and falling into the water. Now the iron railings installed for several kilometers are acting as a barrier between the canal and the road. Due to this, the risk of accident has reduced to a great extent.
Demand for regular monitoring
Local people have described the railing and barricading as useful and have demanded regular monitoring of it. Villagers say that in case the railing gets damaged or removed, it should be repaired immediately. Apart from this, there should also be warning boards and adequate lighting arrangements at sensitive places, so that the limits of the canal are clearly visible to the passersby at night.
Area residents say that the painful memory of the seven-year-old accident still shakes people. In such a situation, strengthening the security system along the canal is an important step towards preventing recurrence of accidents.