Installing protective grilles on all manholes could take a year: BMC to HC

The court then asked the civic body to consider putting up temporary safety measures during the monsoon season to prevent people from falling into the open manholes. The civic body assured HC that it would consider it in its review meeting on Thursday

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that it could take at least a year to install protective grilles on all 74,682 manholes across the city.

Thane, India - July 12, 2019: Open chambers at Waghbil Service road GB road Thane ,India, on Friday, July 12, 2019. ( Praful Gangurde/ HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

The court then asked the civic body to consider putting up temporary safety measures during the monsoon season to prevent people from falling into the open manholes. The civic body assured HC that it would consider it in its review meeting on Thursday.

The division bench of acting chief justice Nitin Jamdar and justice Arif Doctor while hearing the contempt petition filed by advocate Ruju Thakker in light of BMC not complying with orders of the HC in her public interest litigation (PIL) pertaining to potholes and manholes, was informed by senior advocate Anil Sakhare for the civic body that the civic authority has taken note of the suggestions of the HC regarding manholes in its meeting held last week.

The HC had asked BMC to reply whether it could install protective grilles on all manholes in the city in preparation for the upcoming rains. The court had suggested the installation of temporary mechanisms to prevent the fall of any individual in the manholes that were opened during excessive rains.

Sakhare submitted the minutes of the meeting wherein it had discussed the viability of installing protective grilles over one lakh manholes in the city. The meeting also dealt with the issue of cost, and it was decided to go ahead with the installation of protective grilles.

Sakhare informed the bench that the entire process of issuing tenders, finalising the contractor, issuing work orders, etc would be undertaken by it could take some time before the protective grilles could be installed on all manholes. He submitted that it could take up to a year to get the work completed.

The bench was however concerned about the open manholes which the Amicus Curiae, advocate Jamshed Mistry, pointed out and sought to know how soon they would be covered. “The protective grilles are the second layer, however what about the first layer? Installation of the first layer should be fine in an expeditious manner,” remarked the bench.

The bench also noted that though the civic body had said it would take a year to install protective grilles it was hoping that there was a mechanism to avoid mishaps.

Sakhare assured the bench that the sewage operations and storm water drain department had been entrusted with the job of maintaining the manholes and ensuring that mishaps did not take place. He added that further suggestions of the bench to have temporary safety mechanisms would be taken up in the review meeting to be held on Thursday and the outcome would be conveyed to the court on Monday.

The bench accepted the same and asked the BMC to ensure that orders regarding providing medical help to people who fell in manholes were compiled. The bench also stated that if the BMC succeeded in coming up with a temporary safety measure the same could be replicated in the surrounding municipal corporations as well.