AAP Govt blames Delhi Police for motorcyclist's death

New Delhi: A day after a man was mowed down by a tanker when he fell into a flooded pothole in Vasant Kunj, the AAP government today held Delhi Police "responsible" for the incident, alleging it had halted the repair work of the road by PWD, and ordered a magisterial probe into the case. Delhi Traffic Police, however, rubbished the contention that its permission is required in repairing potholes in the roads. The Delhi government today made public two letters written by Public Works Department (PWD) to police in which the department had sought permission for carrying out repair work of Vasant Kunj road but traffic police did not allow for the same. "PWD wrote three letters to Delhi Traffic Police on July 8, 14 and 21 to not stop repair work on Vasant Kunj Road," PWD Minister Satyendar Jain said. In a letter dated July 14, PWD had requested DCP (South) not to stop repair works on Nelson Mandela Marg, Baba Gangnath Mehrauli Mahipal road and also complained that traffic police impounded on its maintenance vans. "It is pertinently mentioned here that due to non-attending of essential works, there may be chances of accidents," the PWD's letter stated. "Police confiscated PWD maintenance vans also. A magistrate enquiry is ordered in the incident," Jain said in another tweet. The minister also said that PWD had also written a letter to area MLA Naresh Yadav on 23 July to help in the matter of repairing Vasant Kunj road. Jain further said the department had also written another letter to Deputy Commissioner (Traffic, South Zone) and taken up the matter of traffic police stopping repair of the Vasant Kunj Road. Delhi Traffic police clarified that permission is required only for when major repair work is undertaken. "NOC from Traffic Police is sought only when a major repair work requiring closure of the road or diversion of traffic is required," said Harendra Singh, DCP Traffic (Southern Range) "For day-to-day repair work including repairing/filling of potholes etc, no permission is required." Traffic Police regularly brings into the knowledge of concerned agencies things like waterlogging points due to rains, damaged road and, potholes, he said. Delhi Police said it regrets the "unfortunate" road accident on Mehrauli-Mahipalpur road yesterday that claimed the life of 45-year-old Praveen. "We always facilitate the repair work so that any congestion or accident is avoided," said a statement by Delhi Police PRO Rajan Bhagat. Praveen was riding a motorcycle, which fell into the big pothole near Square Mall in Vasant Kunj and was ran over by the tanker at around 7.30 PM yesterday.