The BMC has stated before the high court that it is rain-ready and that over 1,400 safety nets have been installed in manholes in the island city
Charkop: Resident Gopal Jumaani has complained about this open manhole several times, but in vain. Pic/Nimesh Dave
Citizens are leaving no stone unturned, rather no uncovered drain undocumented, to expose the civic body's lack of preparation for monsoon, after mid-day published a series of photos yesterday of missing and damaged drain and manhole covers across the city. The BMC has stated before the high court that it is rain-ready and that over 1,400 safety nets have been installed in manholes in the island city.
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Split wide open
A resident of Charkop, Gopal Jumaani, said he has been complaining about damaged drain covers since long but no action has been taken. "There are broken covers on a couple of drains near Anand Mangal Hall. It's been more than a week... It seems the civic body is waiting for some accident. It's extremely risky for pedestrians."
Dadar Parsi Colony
Rikin Dedhia from Andheri shared a photo of an open roadside drain near Norwood CHS, in Lokhandwala Complex. He tweeted that the drain cover was removed for pre-monsoon cleaning work in May, but authorities did not install a new one. One of his old tweets reads: "Cleaning work done but forgot to install new cover on this one is waiting for some accident to happen. Hopefully this one gets his cover before the monsoons." After mid-day's story, he tagged fresh photos of the open roadside drain. Kurla activist Shakeel Shaikh, too, sent a photo of ongoing drainage repair work in Kapadia Nagar. The drain is being widened and deepened, but there are no proper barricades around it.
"A three-year-old girl died in Chembur's Cheetah Camp after falling in such an open drain, as authorities had failed to cover it properly after a clean-up. The Kapadia Nagar drain also is a death trap; it is very close to chawls, and a mishap could happen anytime," he said.
RAK Marg, Wadala
Matunga activist Nikhil Desai pointed out damaged drains at Dadar Parsi Colony, Jame Jamshed Road, and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg near Amulakh Amichand School. "It's been more than 15 days, the BMC is yet to replace these damaged drain covers. These are basic things that need to be addressed on priority, as anyone can fall inside," he said.
In defence
A senior civic official from the SWD department said, "We have addressed all complaints of missing drain or manhole covers on priority. We will replace all damaged or missing covers as soon as possible. More safety nets will be installed in manholes."
Lokhandwala, Andheri
Kapadia Nagar, Kurla
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