Following a deadly manhole incident in Mumbai, Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora attacked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), saying that open manholes are "not accidents" but rather the product of carelessness, broken procedures, and a lack of responsibility.
His comments were triggered by a tragedy that happened in the Sakinaka area, where a 60-year-old man fell into an open manhole that was left uncovered and unbarricaded for maintenance work by private contractual workers. After being carried away in the drains, the victim was discovered dead despite the fire department's rescue efforts.
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By drawing attention to the Bombay High Court's repeated criticism of the BMC for dangerous roads and the persistent threat of open manholes, Deora capitalised on the incident to advocate for structural change. Additionally, he underlined that Mumbaikars are still losing their lives to these completely preventable catastrophes despite earlier court orders.
"Another life lost. Another preventable tragedy. How many more Mumbaikars must die before basic civic safety becomes a priority? Open manholes are not “accidents”, they are the result of negligence, failed systems & a lack of accountability," Deora wrote on his X handle.
"The Bombay High Court has repeatedly pulled up @mybmc over the recurring menace of open manholes & unsafe roads. Yet these entirely avoidable tragedies continue. Mumbai deserves answers," his post further read.
Another life lost. Another preventable tragedy. How many more Mumbaikars must die before basic civic safety becomes a priority? Open manholes are not “accidents”, they are the result of negligence, failed systems & a lack of accountability.
— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) July 2, 2026
The Bombay High Court has repeatedly…
This incident comes after a series of incidents involving manhole-related risks and political unrest in Mumbai, including a contentious episode in which a BMC employee fell into an open manhole during a waterlogging check in front of the Mumbai Mayor, Ritu Tawde.
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To keep people from falling in, the Bombay High Court has repeatedly ordered the BMC to place safety grills under manhole lids.
Meanwhile, three people have so far lost their lives in monsoon-related incidents in Mumbai. Aslam Isak Shaikh, aged 60 years, died today on Khairani Road while falling into a manhole while a 51-year-old man was killed after a section of a third-floor balcony in a residential building collapsed in South Mumbai's Walkeshwar area late on Tuesday.
Vihan Shrivastav, an 11-year-old schoolboy, tragically lost his life when a tree crushed a school vehicle in Mumbai on June 30, and four other children were injured in this incident.
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