Accidents and deaths due to falling into open manholes have increased in Mumbai. Now, reports have surfaced saying that BMC has fixed safety nets in less than 1% of the total manholes.
According to the DNA, in the past two years, BMC has fixed safety nets in just 2,736 manholes, which is below 1% of the total manholes. The safety net inside the manhole is one of the most important precautionary measure needs. The average cost of the manhole cover is Rs 10,000. During heavy rains, BMC employees keep the manholes open to drain out rainwater. But, as per norms, BMC should appoint someone near open manholes, but in most of the cases, these manholes are left unmonitored.
In 2017, after the death of Dr Deepak Amrapurkar who drowned in an open manhole, the BMC started fixing iron safety nets inside manholes. In the first year, before the onset of monsoon in 2018, safety nets were fixed in 1,425 manholes. There are total of 3.60 lakh manholes in the city, out of which the civic body has fixed safety nets of 2,736 manholes which is merely 0.75% of the total manholes. An officer from the BMC told the Hindustan Times, "We can't fix safety nets in every manhole in one phase. It will take some time."
