Damaged and missing manhole covers are a matter of concern

Damaged manholes in Chennai pose safety risks, prompting complaints and delayed action by officials, despite ongoing projects for improvement.

Damaged, missing or inadequately covered manholes in various parts of Chennai remains a matter of concern, even after many complaints were sent to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). Members of the public have complained about damaged manholes on footpaths and roadsides, and near schools and Metro Rail stations.

While cities such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore, Nagpur, Surat, and Hyderabad have piloted or implemented Internet of Things-based sensors in manholes to monitor gas build-up and drainage conditions, Chennai is yet to adopt such a technology.

A member of the Chennai Corporation Council’s Standing Committee (Town Planning) said that at a recent meeting, officials informed that at least 25 additional manhole covers were kept in stock in each region to replace the damaged ones immediately.

“Uncovered drains are dangerous when pedestrians walk at night. Further, owing to sewage entering the storm water drain, mosquito-breeding is rampant, posing a health hazard to residents living close to the exposed manholes,” he said.

The member, a councillor of the ruling DMK, said that while the Corporation Commissioner attended to the complaints promptly, zonal and ward officials did not act with the same vigour. This was a reason for the delay in implementing projects, including the one to cover all manholes of the storm water drains across the 15 zones in the city.

He said that similar to the manhole covers on the roads managed by the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewage Board (CMWSSB), the manhole covers on the footpaths, which are looked after by the Greater Chennai Corporation, were uneven. This caused inconvenience to pedestrians. Vendors occupied the storm water drains, and the weight of the eateries damaged the drains and the manhole covers, he added.

Prabha K., a resident of the Kodambakkam Zone, said a manhole near the Moopathamman Temple at T. Nagar, was patched with plywood and a slab. He said that he had given a complaint to the Corporation on May 19, stating that the manhole posed a grave threat to pedestrians, especially at night, and requesting that the damaged cover be replaced immediately.