02 July,2026 05:39 PM IST | Mumbai | Eeshanpriya MS
The incident was reported at Khairani Road near Sanman Hotel, close to SJ Studio in Sakinaka on Thursday afternoon. Pic/Screengrab
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday suspended four officials, including the assistant commissioner of L Ward, after a 55-year-old man died after falling into an open manhole during civic works in Mumbai's Sakinaka area.
The victim, identified as Aslam Isaq Sheikh, fell into the manhole on Khairani Road while the BMC's Sewerage Operations Department was installing a protective safety grille. According to the civic body, the manhole had been opened for repairs after the earlier grille was damaged during pre-monsoon road concretisation work.
Sheikh, who was reportedly walking while talking on his mobile phone, lost his balance and fell into the manhole despite workers attempting to alert him. After an intensive search by BMC personnel and the Mumbai Fire Brigade, his body was recovered from another manhole around 100 feet away.
Taking serious note of the incident, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide ordered the suspension, pending inquiry, of L Ward Assistant Commissioner Dhanaji Herlekar, Assistant/Sub-Engineer (Maintenance) Deepak Chaugule, Junior Engineer (Maintenance) Abhijit Chaugule, and Assistant Engineer (Sewerage Operations) Uttam Patil.
The BMC has also initiated the process of blacklisting the contractor responsible for the work for allegedly failing to follow mandatory safety protocols at the site.
"This is a sensitive issue because when a manhole is opened, if someone falls into it, there is no other outcome apart from the death of the individual due to the flow of water. Hence, this is a sensitive issue and must be dealt with with utmost seriousness," said Bhide.
"Unfortunately, negligence was noted. Care was not taken to safeguard the open manhole when work was being carried out on this very manhole to safeguard it permanently. This is a grave oversight. Every official and staff member needs to strictly develop rigour and discipline to ensure such incidents do not recur," she added.
A four-member high-level inquiry committee, headed by the additional municipal commissioner (western suburbs), has been constituted to investigate the incident. The committee, which also includes the deputy commissioners of general administration, Zone 7 and infrastructure, has been directed to submit its report within seven days.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for Sheikh's family.
Following the incident, the BMC has directed that barricades be installed on all four sides during manhole-related works. It has also ordered a 100 per cent inspection of all manholes across Mumbai within the next eight days, with all additional municipal commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners directed to submit compliance reports.
The civic body said it had, as part of its pre-monsoon preparedness, instructed all departments since March 2026 to install protective safety grilles on manholes across the city.
