Nets only for 900 out of one lakh manholes

The BMC will not be fixing protective nets under manholes in the city suburbs – which are often left open – to prevent lethal mishaps.

As of now, protective nets have been placed under 900 manholes only and which are all in the island city, not the suburban end of the funnel. Incidentally, there are no less than one lakh manholes in the city and suburbs, which are virtual death traps if they are left open.

After the death of Dr Deepak Amarapurkar, who had slipped into an open manhole near Elphinstone Road last monsoon, the civic body had decided to place protective nets under all manholes in Mumbai.

However, civic officials from the storm water drains (SWD) department say that there is no likelihood of this happening this monsoon. Thus, in the suburbs, at least, pedestrians will wade through flooded roads at their own peril.

A SWD department official said, “We had marked floodprone areas only in the island city.

We had asked ward officials from the suburbs as well to send us a list of areas where manholes will need an additional protective cover. But we received no response from them.”

A recent review meeting chaired by additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal, who is in-charge of the SWD department, concluded that BMC has fixed nets under 900 manholes.

After the mishap involving Dr Amarapurkar last year, the BMC had begun exploring safer designs for its manholes. It was decided to use protective nets, which are to be placed six feet below the mouth of the manhole.

“We have identified 1,450 manholes in low-lying floodprone spots in the island city. Nine hundred have been taken care of, and the remaining nets will be fixed by May end,” the official said. The suburbs will have to wait.