Mumbai manhole tragedy: 4 BMC officials suspended after 60-year-old dies in storm drain
MUMBAI: BMC on Thursday suspended four officials pending an inquiry after a 60-year-old man was swept to his death after falling into an open manhole during drain maintenance work in Sakinaka, an incident that triggered widespread outrage and renewed questions over safety measures at civic work sites.Municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide ordered the suspension of Dhanaji Herlekar, assistant commissioner of L Ward; Deepak Chougule, assistant/deputy engineer (maintenance), L Ward; Abhijit Chougule, junior engineer (maintenance), L Ward; and Uttam Patil, assistant engineer in the Sewerage Operations Department.Read more: Teen electrocuted in waterlogged Mumbra lane; FIR against Torrent Power officials As an immediate preventive measure, the BMC has once again instructed all departments that barricades must be erected on all four sides of every manhole work site during maintenance or installation work.The commissioner has also directed all additional municipal commissioners, the deputy commissioners of all seven zones, and the assistant commissioners of all 26 administrative wards to ensure 100% inspection of all manholes across Mumbai within the next eight days, verify their safety, and submit a compliance report.Aslam Sheikh, 60, died after allegedly stepping into an uncovered manhole on Khairani Road while civic workers were carrying out desilting and drain maintenance work on Thursday afternoon. According to eyewitnesses, three contractual workers had removed the manhole cover to clean the drain when Sheikh, who was speaking on his mobile phone, failed to notice the opening and fell into the stormwater drain.The workers immediately lowered a ladder in an attempt to rescue him, but only his umbrella and slippers were recovered. With rainwater flowing rapidly through the drain, rescue teams were initially unable to determine where he had been swept. After an extensive search operation, the Mumbai Fire Brigade traced his body downstream and recovered it.Police have registered the incident and are investigating the circumstances leading to the fatal accident, while the BMC has initiated a departmental inquiry into possible negligence.The tragedy sparked sharp political reactions, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Leader of Opposition in the BMC Kishori Pednekar visiting the site and questioning how an open manhole could be left unprotected on a busy arterial road during civic works. Mumbai Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi and Shiv Sena leader Amey Ghole also visited the spot. Ghole termed the incident “heartbreaking” and demanded strict legal action against the L Ward Assistant Commissioner, the contractor executing the work and all officials responsible for the lapse.Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh for Sheikh’s family on behalf of the BMC.Congress MP and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad demanded that police register a murder FIR against the Mumbai Mayor and the BMC Commissioner, alleging that the deaths caused by the open manhole and a separate tree-fall incident were the result of gross administrative negligence and systemic failure.
