Exposed manholes put pedestrians, motorists at risk

Across highways and narrow neighbourhood streets, open manholes, several feet deep and wide, have become death traps for children, women, motorcyclists, and the elderly, highlighting serious lapses in municipal oversight and administrative indifference.

In Babugari along Warsak Road, a 30-year-old motorcyclist, Inamullah, was returning home at night when he fell into an uncovered drainage manhole a few days ago. In the darkness, he was unable to see the opening and crashed into exposed iron rods.

He sustained critical head injuries and was rushed to hospital, but later succumbed to his wounds.

His father, Ghulamullah, told The Express Tribune that whenever drains or canals are cleaned, debris is removed but the sites are not properly secured afterwards. "If covering is not immediately possible, there should at least be proper lighting arrangements," he said.

"A small act of negligence cost my son his life," he grieved, sharing that Inamullah left behind six children. The father appealed to the authorities to ensure proper safety measures around manholes, canals and major drains so that no other family has to endure similar loss.

In the historic Karimpura Bazaar area of the inner city, Shah Saud shared three manhole covers in his neighbourhood were stolen and allegedly sold by drug addicts. "We have repeatedly complained to the authorities, but no help has come," he said.

"When we approach the local nazim, he simply said there are no funds available," he mentioned. According to him, several children have fallen and been injured, particularly during school hours, yet the administration has remained unresponsive.

At night, open manholes become even more life-threatening as they become nearly invisible. During rainfall, they fill with water and turn into invisible traps, making them lethal for pedestrians and motorists. With increasingly volatile weather patterns and heavier downpours, such street-level voids become harder to detect and more deadly.

The Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP), underscoring the scale of the crisis, revealed that across 42 union councils of the city, 6,260 manholes are either uncovered or damaged, posing serious risks to the public.

In a formal letter sent to the Local Government Department, WSSP stated that approximately Rs125.27 million is required to install new covers for various categories of manholes. The breakdown shows that 1,707 heavy-duty manholes designed to bear 15 tons are open or broken, 3,169 manholes with a six-ton capacity are without covers, and 1,384 manholes designed for two tons are also exposed.

According to WSSP officials, theft of manhole covers has become a persistent and serious issue. Iron lids are frequently stolen and sold as scrap. Cement covers are broken to extract steel reinforcement bars, and even concrete structures are vandalised. For relatively small financial gains, public safety is being compromised on a large scale.

In response to repeated theft and safety incidents, the department has decided to install modern Reactive powder concrete (RPC) manhole covers, which are stronger and less susceptible to removal. During 2025, 2,261 manhole covers were installed in different parts of the city, according to sources.

WSSP General Manager Operations Muhammad Ejaz told The Express Tribune that a comprehensive citywide survey has been completed to map endangered locations.

"The agency has so far replaced around 2,500 manholes using its own resources," he said, claiming that once additional funds are released, all remaining manholes will be covered.