Mumbai civic chief orders probe into doc’s death

MUMBAI:Following the death of Dr Deepak Amrapurkar, who died after falling into an open manhole at Elphinstone Road junction during Tuesday’s flood in Mumbai, civic chief Ajoy Mehta has asked local civic officials to probe the incident and submit a report to him.

The shocking incident has brought the safety protocol of manholes back to the spotlight. This was not the first time such an incident was reported in Mumbai. In the past, too, there have been several instances where people have died or got injured by falling into an open manhole. In 2010, an 11-year-old boy, Tushar Jadhav, fell into an uncovered manhole at Mariam Nagar in Worli.

Mehta has asked the G/South ward to submit a report on the incident in the next 3-4 days.

Renowned gastroenterologist Dr Amrapurkar’s body was found near Worli Sea face after he slipped into the open manhole at the flooded Elphinstone junction during Tuesday’s deluge.

BMC has maintained that the manhole cover has not been opened by the staff members.

Mehta said, “As of now, I have been told that none of the BMC staff had opened the manhole cover. I have asked for a report from the ward based on which further action will be decided.”

Senior civic officials said that they follow a protocol for opening manhole covers. A red flag is supposed to be put up at the manhole cover along with a warning sign if the manhole cover is left open. Also, a BMC staffer is supposed to be standing near the spot to divert traffic since most manhole covers are on the roads.

“This must be done by anxious citizens to let the flood-water drain. It is a sorry state of affairs, but there have been many instances like these,” a senior civic official, who did not wish to be named, said.

In 2014, many citizens had also raised their voice against the BMC on the issue of open drains. The civic body then said that miscreants were stealing cast-iron manhole covers, post which they started using plastic covers that did not have much resale value.