Gurgaon: Open manhole in Sector 34 becomes a nightmare for commuters

Residents said although they have lodged a number of complaints with the civic bodies concerned, no step was taken to cover it. Most streetlights along this road do not work and it becomes difficult for pedestrians and motorists to spot the gaping manhole in the dark

A sewage manhole, which has been lying open for the last two months in Sector 34, has become a major concern for commuters.

A sewage manhole has been lying open for the last two months in Sector 34. It has led to many accidents. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Residents said although they had lodged a number of complaints with the civic bodies, no step was taken to cover it.

There have been several instances of people falling into open manholes and injuring themselves. Residents said the negligent attitude of the authorities may prove costly for commuters on the stretch.

Most streetlights along this road do not work and it becomes difficult for pedestrians and motorists to spot the gaping manhole in the dark, residents claimed.

With civic agencies failing to act, residents on Monday took it upon themselves to place stones around the manhole to alert commuters and avert accidents.

“It’s been two months and, every day so many people get injured because they fall off their two-wheelers after losing their balance,” Balbir Singh, security manager and administrative head of a telecom company, said.

Mahesh Kumar (28), an autorickshaw driver, said, “I was visiting the area for the first time and was not aware of the open manhole. I overtook a car and my front tyre got stuck in the manhole. The passenger was injured as he jerked out of the autorickshaw.”

“When we sought the help of MCG officials, they said stopping illegal parking is not their job and the Gurgaon police will have to take care of the issue. When we contacted the police, they said that it was not their job either,” Manish Kumar, administration head of a private company, said.

Gopal Kalawat, executive engineer, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, said they will ensure the manhole cover is fixed within a day.

“I will send my executive engineer to the spot and we will resolve the issue.”

Traffic officials said they have not received any complaints regarding any traffic issues in the area but they will inspect the stretch and will ensure the problem of illegal parking is resolved at the earliest.

“We will ask the MCG to barricade the area or fix the cover so that no mishap takes place,” Deepak Gahlawat, DCP (traffic), said.