Mumbai, Jul 2 (PTI) Significant lapses in safety protocols at an ongoing civic work site in Mumbai resulted in the death of a man, who fell into an open manhole amid rains on Thursday, and action has been taken against those responsible for the tragedy, a Maharashtra minister told the Assembly.
Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal said directives have been issued to senior civic officials to inspect every manhole in Mumbai over the next eight days and submit a report certifying their safety.
Making a statement in the lower house, she noted a committee led by an additional municipal commissioner (western suburbs) has been formed to investigate the fatal manhole incident in the Chandivali area and the panel has been instructed to submit its report within seven days.
A 55-year-old man, Aslam Ishaq Shaikh, fell into an open sewer manhole earlier in the day and his body was later recovered from another manhole approximately 100 feet away from the accident site, with assistance from the fire brigade, Misal said.
The minister indicated that preliminary findings revealed significant lapses in safety protocols at the ongoing civic work site. CCTV footage showed the manhole had been opened by workers installing a protective grill, but the site lacked the mandatory barricading and a tripod before work commenced, leading to the fatality.
She said four civic officials from the L-ward — Assistant Municipal Commission Dhanaji Herlekar, Assistant Sub-engineer Deepak Chaugule, Junior Engineer Abhijit Chaugule and Assistant Engineer Uttam Patil — have been suspended in connection with the fatal incident.
Misal emphasised that repeated instructions had been issued during review meetings to ensure strict adherence to safety norms and clear safety measures during civic projects.
She informed the House that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation maintains stormwater drain and sewer manholes, which are mostly circular, with sewer manholes usually being rectangular.
Citing CCTV footage, the minister pointed out the absence of the required barricading or protective covering at the site. Although workers were present, apparently to warn pedestrians, a person walking and talking on a mobile phone failed to notice the open manhole due to the missing barricades and fell inside, Misal said.
The minister noted the incident exposed negligence in implementing basic safety measures. The civic work at the accident site should have been completed before the monsoon season, but was instead carried out after rains began and that too without sufficient precautions to safeguard people.
She informed the Assembly the BMC has filed a police complaint against those responsible for the negligence.
Additionally, directives have been issued to all additional municipal commissioners, seven zonal deputy commissioners, and 26 ward-level assistant commissioners to inspect every manhole in Mumbai over the next eight days and submit reports certifying their safety, Misal added. PTI MR RSY
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