A five-year-old girl slipping into an open manhole in Charminar zone triggered a controversy in Hyderabad on Thursday (September 11, 2025), with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) indulging in blame game.The girl, who was on her way to school, fell into the open manhole at Moula ka Chilla area of Rein Bazar division. She escaped unhurt as her mother immediately pulled her out.An enquiry into the incident by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials reportedly revealed that the manhole cover was removed by HYDRAA’s monsoon emergency team (MET), which had left it open despite stern instructions from the GHMC Commissioner that no manhole should remain open during monsoons.Deputy Commissioner of Santosh Nagar and Executive Engineer concerned who conducted the enquiry found that the manhole cover was removed for cleaning of the drain on September 10, the enquiry report said.HYDRAA, which has conducted its own preliminary enquiry into the incident, blamed the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board staff for the open manhole. As per a statement released by HYDRAA, the agency had taken up desilting work after directions by the corporator. As the silt had solidified beyond the possibility of manual removal, water board’s jetting machines were requisitioned.Meanwhile, the HYDRAA team moved to another manhole, and the water board staff left without replacing the cover, the statement said.The staff who arrived in the second shift observed this and tried to close the drain, but local residents stopped them, saying working was still pending, it said.HYDRAA has asked citizens to report about open manholes by calling the mobile number 9000113667.Meanwhile, in a statement, the Water Board refused to take responsibility, saying it’s not a drainage manhole Published - September 11, 2025 04:23 pm IST