An outer view of Bombay High Court in Mumbai. File picture
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Bombay High Court has told the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to ensure no citizen dies due to open manholes this year. The court also questioned the BMC over the state of Mumbai roads, noting the issue has persisted for over two decades.A Division Bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata heard a PIL on road safety and infrastructure in Mumbai on Monday (June 29). The court expressed concern over the condition of roads and the safety of manholes across the city.The Bench noted that a person travelling from Dahisar to Fort experiences hundreds of bumps during the trip. Justice Khata pointed out that Justice Lodha had passed an order on road conditions in 2006, and the situation remains unchanged in 2026. The judges observed that roads in major cities worldwide allow speeds of up to 100 kmph without bumps. They asked the BMC to examine scientifically constructed roads in other cities.The court also noted that road conditions in Thane had worsened, though they were better earlier. Justice Khata observed that Thane roads were maintained when Justice Abhay Oka travelled daily from his residence in Thane to Fort.BMC counsel Joel Carlos told the court that the civic body is making efforts to ensure citizen safety regarding roads, potholes and open manholes. The bench examined data on manhole safety measures. The BMC has installed protective grills beneath metal lids on over 70,000 manholes but has not installed them on more than 3,000 manholes.Justice Gadkari told the BMC counsel that the court is not concerned with data, budget or compliance reports. He asked the counsel to state that no human life will be lost due to manholes this year. The court said it is concerned only with the loss of human lives caused by open manholes in the past.Regarding a viral video of a BMC officer falling into an opening near Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde last week, Carlos clarified that the incident involved a water pumping station, not an open manhole. He said the officer did not fall deep into the opening, which would have happened in the case of an open manhole.The judges asked if the App for registering complaints about open manholes and potholes is functional. The BMC said it will file an affidavit on the App's functioning and provide photographic evidence of complaints attended to and resolved by BMC officers. The court also asked for details of FIRs registered over theft of metal lids from manholes.PIL petitioner lawyer Ruju Thakkar raised a grievance about a doctor who died after falling into a manhole last year. Thakkar said the family has not received the Rs 6 lakh compensation ordered by a bench of Justice Revati Mohite-Dere.Justice Gadkari questioned the Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner over the delay. He asked if the commissioner does not have 20 minutes to conduct a meeting of the Committee for sanctioning the compensation amount. The judge noted that meetings can be conducted through the Zoom App. The court directed the TMC to confirm payment of compensation by next Monday and stated it will not accept excuses on this matter.The court noted that the BMC has stated it will take the necessary steps to improve road conditions. The BMC had earlier informed the court about steps to ensure roads and footpaths are free of potholes and obstructions. The court had also been told about measures to cover open manholes with iron grills to prevent accidents.The Bench has scheduled the next hearing for July 6. Published - July 01, 2026 07:12 am IST
