Bombay High Court Slams BMC, TMC Over Open Manholes and Pothole Deaths
The Bombay High Court on Monday pulled up the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for inadequate measures regarding potholes and open manholes, following the death of a 55-year-old man who fell into an uncovered manhole in Saki Naka. The court questioned whether the civic body valued human lives.
During the hearing, the BMC informed the court that all manholes in Mumbai will have protective grills installed within a week, as some grills were missing or stolen. In the interim, open manholes will be barricaded to prevent accidents. Senior advocate Anil Sakhare, representing the BMC, stated that Commissioner Ashwini Bhide had initiated remedial measures and suspended four officers after the incident.
The bench, comprising Justices Ajey S Gadkari and Kamal R Khata, expressed displeasure over the incident occurring despite previous court directions. The court also criticised the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for its “insensitive approach” in failing to disburse adequate compensation to the family of a toddler who died after falling into a stormwater drain last year.
Lawyer Ruju Thakker, who filed the public interest litigation, pointed out that the TMC had decided to pay only Rs 75,000 as compensation, far below the Rs 6 lakh mandated by the High Court in an October 2025 order for deaths caused by potholes or open manholes. The compensation amount is to be recovered from errant officers or contractors. Thakker also noted similar issues in Andheri and Milan Subways, where manhole covers were repeatedly stolen.
In response to concerns about slow complaint redressal via the BMC's WhatsApp channel, Sakhare assured the court of higher-level verification to ensure timely action. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on July 14, seeking effective measures from both civic bodies.
