Milind Deora Blames BMC For Preventable Mumbai Manhole Deaths

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora on Thursday strongly criticised the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) following the death of a 60-year-old man who fell into an open manhole in Mumbai's Sakinaka area during heavy rainfall. Calling such incidents "not accidents," Deora said they were the result of negligence, failed civic systems and a lack of accountability. His remarks came as Mumbai continued to witness rain-related incidents that have claimed multiple lives over the past two days, raising fresh concerns over public safety and civic infrastructure.

The tragedy occurred in the Chandivali area of Sakinaka, where the victim reportedly fell into an open manhole that had been left uncovered and without safety barricades during maintenance work carried out by private contractors. According to officials, the man was swept away by the strong flow of water through the drainage system. Rescue teams from the fire department launched an extensive search operation, but the victim was later found dead, triggering widespread public concern and criticism over safety lapses.

Reacting to the incident, Deora questioned how many more lives would have to be lost before civic authorities made public safety a priority. In a post on X, he wrote that open manholes should never be dismissed as unfortunate accidents because they are entirely preventable. He stated that such incidents reflect systemic failures, poor implementation of safety measures and the absence of accountability among those responsible for maintaining the city's infrastructure.

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The Rajya Sabha MP also referred to repeated observations made by the Bombay High Court regarding Mumbai's unsafe roads and recurring incidents involving open manholes. He noted that despite several warnings and directions from the court, similar tragedies continue to occur during every monsoon season. Deora said the people of Mumbai deserve clear answers and effective action from the civic administration to prevent further loss of life.

The latest incident comes amid a series of monsoon-related accidents across Mumbai, where heavy rainfall has disrupted normal life and exposed deficiencies in civic preparedness. Reports of waterlogging, open drains, damaged roads and hazardous infrastructure have once again sparked debate over the city's ability to ensure public safety during the rainy season. Earlier, another incident involving a BMC employee falling into an open manhole during an inspection had also drawn public attention.

The Bombay High Court has on multiple occasions directed the BMC to ensure that open manholes are properly covered or barricaded to safeguard pedestrians, particularly during periods of heavy rain. Civic authorities have repeatedly stated that safety measures are implemented during maintenance work, but the latest fatality has intensified demands for stricter enforcement, better supervision of contractors and greater accountability to prevent such avoidable tragedies from recurring.

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