Mumbai: BMC Takes Hi-Tech Approach To Combat Manhole Cover Thefts; Installs Smart Devices With Alarms At Vulnerable Locations

Mumbai: Around 444 manhole covers have been stolen across the city from April to October. So, in order to prevent thefts, the BMC has installed a smart device under a manhole cover at 14 locations in the city. The siren in the device will send alerts to the sewerage operation control room when the covers are forcibly removed or in case of waterlogging. The tender will be floated as soon as the software and other tests are completed, said the civic official.

After the Bombay High Court (HC) set a deadline, the BMC got all manholes covered in August. However, the number of manholes covers that get stolen every year remains the same. As per civic data, on average, 63 covers were stolen in the last seven months. While the highest 168 manhole covers were stolen alone in August. The civic body has also registered more than 50 first information reports (FIR). Recently, BMC experimented with installing protective nets beneath the manholes.

The civic body has also installed a smart device, two each on manholes at Worli BDD Chawl, one at Balusheth Madurkar road, three locations at Jerbai Wadia road - Parel, two at Sewri Cross Lane, two at DG Mahajani Road Sewri, one at Grant Road’s Trimbak Parshuram Lane and other two location at Grant Road and Bapurao Parulekar marg- Dadar. "The device is fixed beneath the cover, software testing of this new system is currently underway. We are trying to resolve the technical issues that we encountered. We will soon invite tender for the device once all tests are completed," said a civic official.

The manhole covers made of cast iron get stolen frequently since they fetch a good price (Rs. 3,000 to 5,000) on the grey market for petty thieves and drug addicts. As per civic data, 836 manhole covers were stolen in 2022, which was the highest in the past four years.

Manholes cover stolen in last seven months

Month and cases

April...20

May...50

June...77

July...77

August...168

September...40

October...12

Total manholes: 1 lakh

Storm Water Department manholes: 25,000

Sewage Water Department manholes in city: 27,078

Western Suburbs: 31,621

Eastern Suburbs: 15,983