Mid-Day Impact | Mumbai: Borivli doesn’t have to grill and bear it any more

The grill installed in the middle of the road (right) the spot after the box was removed following the mid-day report. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The BMC has removed the three-foot-tall grills it had installed in the middle of a Borivli West road to safeguard manholes after mid-day reported on the issue. According to BMC officials, the grills were installed to prevent accidents due to the possibility of manhole covers getting dislodged during surcharge and sewage upthrust due to rain. The work of improving the sewer network is underway and will take at least two more years to complete.

While the BMC had initially claimed the vertical grills were installed for commuter safety and would be removed after safety nets were installed, sewage department officials cited a different reason for installing the grills.

The grill installed over a manhole in the middle of the road at Saibaba Nagar in Borivli West. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The BMC had installed grills in the middle of the road in Saibaba Nagar in Borivli West which hindered the movement of traffic. mid-day highlighted the issue on June 22, after the ward official concerned said the grills are a safety measure as some sewerage manholes had been buried under the road and safety nets for these are yet to be installed.

A sewage department official said, "During the rainy season, the sewer line measuring 50 mm in diameter that runs along Saibaba Nagar Road remains in a surcharged condition. Due to the low-lying topography of the area, there is a possibility of manhole covers becoming dislodged during surcharged conditions and due to sewage upthrust. To ensure additional safety for pedestrians and vehicular traffic, barricades were installed at the site."

The width of the sewer line is insufficient and work on the sewer tunnel along Link Road, from Don Bosco School in Borivli West to a wastewater treatment facility in Malad West, is in progress under the Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project. This project will help minimise surcharge conditions in the area. The project started two years ago and will take two more years to complete, said an official. "But till then, the manholes are at risk," he added.

The BMC immediately removed all the grills after mid-day took up the issue. "The barricades have been removed as there is no rain now. But the area remains waterlogged during heavy rain, and commuters cannot notice the dislodged manholes, which may result in accidents," said a BMC officer.

3 feet
Height of grills installed in middle of road

500MM
Diameter of sewer along Saibaba Nagar Road