Killer manholes

Open manholes are virtual deathtraps at night when different areas plunge into darkness due to prolonged power outages

A few days ago, a two and a half years’ old boy died after he fell into a gutter through an uncovered manhole in Garden locality of Karachi. The manhole was covered only after it claimed a human life. The area is close to the headquarters of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, the organisation responsible to take care of manholes and see to it that open manholes are provided with lids at the earliest. The KWSB seems to have utterly failed in carrying out its responsibility of keeping a watch over manholes. There are innumerable open manholes in the city waiting to devour more human lives. In the present instance, a dumper truck is said to have destroyed the manhole cover 15 days ago, and the manhole had remained open since.

Open manholes are virtual deathtraps at night when different areas of the city plunge into darkness due to prolonged power outages. Many men, women and children have died after they fell into gutters through uncovered manholes. Most manhole covers are destroyed by recklessly-driven heavy vehicles. Drug addicts too find it convenient to steal manhole lids. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of area residents the relevant authorities remain unmoved, and manholes stay without cover for long. Uncovered manholes during protracted power cuts at night are a recipe for killing humans. K-Electric too cannot escape its responsibility as it has failed to ensure uninterrupted power supply at night. The pathetic state of roads and piles of garbage lying at roadsides and other places are also contributing to deaths caused by accidents, including those involving manholes without lids. Manholes remain uncovered for months, and in some cases, for years killing people. Many suffer injuries that lead to life-long disabilities.

Missing manhole covers is not a new thing in Karachi and other cities and towns of Sindh; things have only been worsening with the passage of time. Observers attribute this sad state of affairs to the long-persisting masterly inaction on the part of the authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2021.

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