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A municipal official stands guard after heavy rainfall in Mumbai, warning pedestrians to pay attention to manholes on water-logged streets. (AP Picture)
Mumbai recorded 791 manhole theft instances in 2023, a rise from 836 instances in 2022.
Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) will revive its good manhole cowl pilot mission as a part of a brand new technique to sort out the rising downside of manhole cowl theft. The initiative goals to curb the rise in accidents and thefts that plague Mumbai’s roads, particularly throughout the monsoon when water accumulates on the streets, masking the hazards of open manholes. Throughout the monsoon in Mumbai, visitors accidents surge as waterlogged streets obscure manhole covers, leaving many manhole covers uncovered. The issue is exacerbated by thieves stealing these iron covers for revenue, quite than any fault within the system itself.
Experiences counsel that BMC’s early makes an attempt to deploy good manhole covers a yr in the past stalled attributable to technical difficulties. Nonetheless, the mission is now able to restart, with plans to put in good sensors on manhole covers in Sandhurst Highway (Space B) and Grant Highway (Space D). The sensors will alert authorities of any tried theft, aiming to scale back the frequency of such incidents.
A rise in manhole cowl thefts has been noticeable for the reason that onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023 alone, Mumbai recorded 791 manhole theft instances, a rise from 836 instances in 2022. Greater than two manhole thefts have been reported every single day.
A senior BMC official attributed these thefts primarily to petty criminals and miscreants searching for fast monetary achieve. Iron covers price Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 every have been stolen and offered in scrap markets. The BMC’s new measures geared toward stopping theft and enhancing street security will make sure that manhole covers stay in place and visual to forestall accidents.
