Bombay HC asks BMC why it does not cover all manholes in Mumbai with protective grills

Bombay High Court asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) why it does not consider covering all manholes in the city with protective grills to prevent accidents.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Sandeep Marne noted that in 2018 the high court had directed the civic body that some mechanism be developed to ensure that manholes on city roads and pavements are not left open.

The court had then also suggested that preventive grills be installed in manholes so that if anybody falls through an open manhole, the grill underneath will stop the fall.

The judges noted that of 74,682 manholes in the city, only 1,908 have been fitted with protective grills. The high court order is of 2018. Five years have gone by and yet we have less than ten per cent manholes covered with protective grills, the bench said.

BMC lawyer Anil Sakhare said protective grills were installed under manholes in flood-prone areas. The court, however, opined that grills should be installed in all manholes to avoid the incidents of a person or animal falling through an open manhole. The bench directed the BMC to inform about its plans on June 19.

HC was hearing a petition filed by advocate Ruju Thakker seeking contempt action against civic authorities for failing to implement an 2018 court order directing the repair of potholes on all arterial roads in Mumbai and devising of a uniform mechanism to address grievances related to bad roads and potholes.

What is the difficulty in providing protective grills to all manholes and not just those in flood-prone areas? If these grills are the answer to the problem of open manholes then why should they not be installed in each and every manhole in the city, the judges asked, adjourning the hearing.