28 September,2026 04:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational image. File pic
Two private labourers hired by a housing society fell into a municipal sewer manhole while cleaning an internal drainage line in Mumbai's Santacruz East on Monday, September 28.
As per BMC, one of the two men was declared dead after being taken to V N Desai Hospital, while the other has been admitted to the hospital's MICU for treatment.
BMC's Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) department, while briefing about the incident, said that the incident was reported at around 10:56 am on September 28 at Bhavya Niketan housing society on Golibar Road No. 8, opposite V N Desai Hospital.
The society had reportedly engaged private personnel to carry out clearance work on the building's internal sewer line. During the work, one of the workers allegedly opened a municipal sewer manhole without informing or coordinating with BMC officials.
Following the unfortunate incident, the BMC Fire Brigade was alerted, and they further launched a rescue operation. Both men were pulled out and shifted to V N Desai Hospital with the assistance of a 108 ambulance. Police personnel were also mobilised at the spot.
According to information received from the hospital's concerned Assistant Medical Officer (AMO), both men were unidentified at the time of reporting.
Upon reaching the hospital, one of them was declared dead, while the second was admitted to the MICU for necessary medical treatment.
The BMC has clarified that the two men were not BMC employees and had been engaged privately by the housing society for the drainage-cleaning work.
Further details, including the identities of the two men and the circumstances leading to the accident, are awaited.
In view of providing enhanced safety to the people, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to test a new 'Manhole Rail Guard'. The facility has been designed to improve safety for both the public and civic workers during manhole maintenance.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde) and Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar inspected the prototype at the BMC headquarters on earlier in September.
The square-shaped Manhole Rail Guard has been developed by an organisation to create a safer working area around open manholes during maintenance and repair work.
The safety barrier is intended to prevent pedestrians and vehicles from accidentally approaching open manholes while also providing better protection for municipal workers carrying out repairs.
