Missing drain covers put Mumbaikars at risk during monsoon

A concrete slab covers a damaged manhole along SV Road in Goregaon West. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE

Mumbaikars have raised serious concerns about drain covers, saying their absence makes walking on the hurdle-ridden footpaths of the city precarious, if not outright deadly. A recurring sight this reporter has come across is the broken or missing drain covers.

These often break with time, with vehicles driving or being parked on them, or when they are lowered into their slots after pre-monsoon cleaning. mid-day contacted the civic authorities concerned regarding the issue, but didn't receive a response by press time.

Santacruz East

Ivan Pais, a resident of Santacruz East, told mid-day, "Residents keep pointing out problematic drain covers to the authorities. Luckily for us, we are being heard by them." He credited the ward officer in H East and Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar for acting on complaints made by residents.

"In our area, identification was an important task, though it is the civic body's responsibility; it is also our duty as citizens to let them know when we see something going awry. Footpaths are made for people to walk on, and when people drive or park on them, it is not only a safety hazard but also an infrastructural issue. The best way to prevent the breaking and damage is to install metal covers in the high-traffic areas, as they hold up longer than the others."

Andheri West

According to Dhaval Shah, a member of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association, there are two prolonged issues at play here: drain covers are not made to be driven on, and while pre-monsoon cleaning is carried out, heavy cement covers often crack when not being placed properly into their slots.

Shah stated that the quality of the covers has not been up to the mark, which is why they get damaged often. He added, "About a dozen of the lids in the Lokhandwala are cracked or damaged. We step up in such cases and inform the authorities about the covers which are ruined beyond salvaging, and keep a close eye on the ones that are cracked or chipped."

An open drain in the middle of a sidewalk near the Lower Malad Metro station in Malad West. PIC/NIMESH DAVE

Shah also stated that parking is taking place in areas where there are spacious footpaths, damaging drain covers due to the weight of vehicles. "In front of the Citi Mall on Linking Road, even after the patrolling police officers tell the people not to park on the footpath, they still do it. And the effect of that can be seen on the drain covers in the area."

Goregaon West

The drain covers on SV Road, right where the skywalk stairs land in front of the Hotel Ratna, are another example of how the drain covers aren't of the best quality. A woman resident, on the condition of anonymity, said, "I use the road daily, and the issue with this particular drain cover is that it looks good and strong till we step on it. Once you step on it, it sinks with your weight. I'm afraid that one day it will give out, and someone will fall into the drain." She added, "Some months ago, I informed civic workers about the problem; they said they would look into it, but they haven't. It is a serious safety issue."

[popcorn number="25 km" desc="Approximate length of SV Road" class="Default"]