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Synopsis

A division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Sandeep V Marne on Wednesday pulled by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for not covering the manholes with protective grills while observing that only 10% of manholes had been covered with protective grills since the year 2018.

“The high court had issued directions in 2018. Five years have gone by and yet only 10% of the manholes are covered with protective grills,” the court observed. 

The bench was hearing a contempt petition filed by one Raju Thakker against the civic authorities for failing to implement the 2018 order of the high court. 

The 2018 order was passed by the high court pursuant to a plea filed before the high court after a man died due to falling into a manhole during the monsoon season in August 2017. 

The division bench on Wednesday this week observed that out of 74682 only 1908 manholes have protective grills. 

The counsel appearing for the civic authorities informed the court that the civic authorities had installed protective grills in the flood-prone zones. 

However, the bench was of the opinion that protective grills should be installed in all manholes. “What is the difficulty in providing protective grills to all manholes, not just those in flood-prone areas? If these grills are the answer to the problem of open manholes, then why should they not be installed in each manhole in the city," the bench said.

Therefore, the division bench directed the civic authorities to take instructions and inform the court about installing protective grills for all manholes by June 19, 2023.