After fatal accident, open manholes in Mumbai to be surrounded by ‘railguard

3 min readMumbaiJul 13, 2026 09:12 PM IST

Overflowing stormwater drains mixed with sewage have inundated both sides of the road between Raheja Vista and Florentina housing societies at NIBM Annexe. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)

To improve the safety around open manholes during civic works, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to pilot a new “manhole railguard”.

The move comes days after 55-year-old Aslam Isaq Shaikh died after falling into an open manhole in Saki Naka.

The BMC has decided to pilot the new “manhole railguard” model in L ward, which includes Saki Naka and Chandivali.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and senior civic officials reviewed the prototype on Monday.

How the new railguard will work

According to the preliminary design, the proposed “manhole railguard” is a square-shaped protective enclosure that surrounds an open manhole from all four sides, preventing pedestrians from accidentally stepping or falling into it while work is underway.

The structure will be about one metre high and measurse 1.5 metres in length and width. It will consist of metal barriers fitted with a protective net on all sides. Depending on the location and size of the manhole, the railguard will weigh either 80 kg or 225 kg.

During the review, Mayor Tawde suggested installing reflectors or flashing lights on the railguards to improve visibility at night and in poor weather. Civic officials are also considering introducing collapsible barriers for use at different-sized manholes.

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“After studying the experiences and suggestions received during the pilot, we will determine whether the model can be implemented across other wards of the city,” a civic official said.

Mumbai has more than one lakh manholes, including around 74,000 covering sewer lines and the remaining serving the storm water drainage network.

At least 75 of these are located in L ward, where Shaikh’s death was reported.

Shaikh had fallen into an open manhole on Khairani Road on July 2 during heavy rain after contractors appointed by the local ward office had opened the manhole to install protective grills. His death renewed concerns over the safety of open manholes during monsoon-related works.

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The BMC has previously explored other safety measures. In 2024, it proposed a smart manhole project that envisaged sirens on manhole covers to deter theft, but the initiative did not take off because of technical constraints.