So BMC has now started testing something called 'Manhole Rail Guard' in Mumbai and honestly,this feels like one of those moments where civic body is finally reacting to something that should have been done much earlier .
On July 16,Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation conducted field trials of this new device at two locations on LBS Marg in Kurla . One of the spots was manhole situated opposite petrol pump near Khan Manzil,which has apparently been flagged already as critical area for public safety .
The 'Manhole Rail Guard' is square-shaped structure developed under guidance of Mayor Ritu Tawde . Main idea is simple — provide protection around open manholes during repair and maintenance work,both for public passing by and for workers doing actual job .
During trial,workers checked multiple things about prototype:
- Prototype stability tested — workers assessed how well guard holds under different conditions.
- Installation ease evaluated — design aims to streamline setup process for quick deployment .
- Feedback collection planned — input from both citizens and workers will be considered for future modifications.
And this whole initiative is coming after genuinely tragic incident . On July 2,a 55-year-old daily-wage labourer named Aslam Isak Shaikh fell into open manhole on Khairani Road in Sakinaka during heavy rains . That one incident put serious pressure on BMC to do something visible and fast.
Honestly,open manholes during Mumbai monsoon is not small problem . Every rainy season same stories come out,same fear among people walking on flooded roads where manhole covers go missing or get dislodged . And usually nothing structural changes after that.
BMC has also launched dedicated WhatsApp chatbot at 9324500600 where people can report open,damaged or missing manhole covers . At least that is one practical step citizens can actually use right now.
Now here is the scale of actual challenge — BMC manages over one lakh manholes across Mumbai . Out of those,approximately 96,383 have protective safety nets already in place . But 1,800 manholes buried during previous road works and another 4,446 reopened for infrastructure projects are still waiting to be restored with covers and safety nets .
And that number is not small thing . Nearly 6,000 plus manholes still sitting without proper protection while city goes through monsoon season every year is genuinely concerning situation .
What is still unclear is how quickly BMC plans to scale this 'Manhole Rail Guard' beyond pilot testing if results are positive… and more importantly,whether actual restoration of those thousands of uncovered manholes is moving fast enough before next rainy season brings another incident like Aslam Shaikh's case
