Mumbai: Bombay High Court Asks BMC To Form Seperate Cell To Monitor Manholes Across City

Mumbai: Considering the upcoming monsoon season, the Bombay High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to inform whether it will constitute a special cell to immediately address the problem of open manholes.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Sandeep Marne issued the direction observing that immediate action is required given the upcoming rainy season.

The HC was hearing a contempt petition filed by advocate Ruju Thakker regarding willful non-compliance by municipal corporations with the 2018 court judgment in a PIL on fixing roads. The HC, in February and April 2018 directed the repair of potholes along all arterial roads in Mumbai and devising a uniform mechanism to redress citizens’ grievances related to bad roads and potholes.

Compliance only on paper

During the hearing on Wednesday, Thakker submitted that there are no protective grills on manholes. She argued that all compliances were shown on paper but nothing was actually done on the ground.

The court noted that there are many issues which need to be dealt with, but immediate action is required on open manholes due to the upcoming rainy season.

Court asks if a separate cell to monitor manholes could be formed

The bench noted that there was a problem with coordination between the authorities and asked the civic body to inform whether it will constitute a special cell. 

“There is a problem of coordination (between authorities). You (BMC) let us know in the affidavit whether you will constitute a special cell or task force to address open manholes,” Justice Jamdar said. 

Last month, Thakker had submitted a news report which had claimed that a road in Bandra (West) had four open manholes without protective grills and therefore, it had become an “open trap” for pedestrians and vehicles.

'Geo-tagging' manholes

The High Court, on May 25, had directed BMC to inform about the steps being taken to cover all the manholes across the city. In January this year, the BMC, through its commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, told the high court that it is exploring the option of geo-tagging manholes, its chambers and covers so that ward officers can take prompt action in case a manhole cover is stolen.