Gap in slide at Greater Noida condo park claims portion of two-year-old girl's toe
Noida: A defect on a slide in the play area of a Greater Noida society ended in an injury that a two-year-old will have to adapt to for the rest of her life.
On June 13 in Ecovillage 3, Amansha Sharma was going down the slide when her middle toe got caught in a metal gap that should not have been there.
As momentum carried her downward, a portion of her toe came off.
"My wife quickly picked her up, and we rushed to a nearby clinic where first aid was given and the wound was covered. We were advised to take her to a hospital for further examination," Amansha's father Amar Sharma (33), who lives on the fifth floor of Tower A9, told TOI on Sunday.
The couple took Amansha to Kailash Hospital in Sector 71. There, doctors recommended a surgery, which was performed over five to six hours on June 16.
Amansha, doctors told the couple, can use a prosthetic on the damaged part of her toe once she grows up. The girl, parents said, is recovering.
The accident throws light on the larger malaise of poor finishing and safety compromises that are often seen in public places, like a drain cover left open on a footpath, a wire hanging loose from a pole, a nail poking out of a door or a loose tile on a stairwell.
Loopholes like these in public infrastructure can be particularly dangerous.
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Amar, whose family has been living in the Greater Noida West society on rent since last Sept, said he got the time to write to the estate manager on June 18. He has neither pressed for charges, nor sought compensation.
"It's not in me to go for things like complaints. I was more focused on my daughter's recovery, which by the grace of god is well," the father, who works for an IT firm in Gurgaon, said.
In his letter to the estate manager, Amar said the accident was traumatic for his daughter and such hazards should be fixed immediately.
"I am submitting this formal complaint to bring the matter to the immediate attention of the estate's management. I also request that all necessary repairs and safety measures be undertaken without delay… to minimize injury risks and thorough safety audit of all play equipment and the surrounding areas," Amar wrote.
He added that the complaint was "not only as the parent of an injured child, but also on behalf of many concerned families in the society".
Our children's safety must be prioritised, and preventive action should be taken urgently," he wrote.
The society manager Ajeet Singh took cognisance of the issue and said rubber mats have been installed in the play area. Singh has sought time of about 10-15 days to get the rest of the repairs done as the expenditure is being worked out.
Around 1,500 residents live in the township, which has 3,248 flats.
Noida resident Rahul Sohal, a civil engineer who has previously worked with the Delhi Metro and govt contractors, told TOI that well designed infrastructure needs to be equipped with all safety gear and maintained consistently.
For instance, he said, all play areas should be reinforced with hybrid polyurethane, a polymer, which has glass fibre added to it for strength.
"There should be no PVC, latex and phthalates, nor heavy metals in such places as these do not absorb moisture and do not prevent bacteria or fungal growth. All exposed metal parts – bolts, screws or protruding hardware on swings should be capped with protective plastic or rubber sleeves," he said.
Similarly, the risk of slipping needs to be minimised on staircases.
"Anti-skid tiles should be used. If granite is chosen, its surface must be flamed, brushed or treated for slip resistance, ensuring safe movement for all age groups, particularly children and the elderly," said Sohal.
He explained that obsolete hardware should be removed. "All swing structures must be securely anchored into the ground using concrete footings or industry-approved base plates. Loose or improperly embedded frames can shift or tip over, creating a high risk for injury. Structural integrity should be verified during installation and rechecked during routine inspections, especially after monsoon or heavy use," Sohal said.
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