HYDRAA assumes fault in Rein Bazar manhole cover lapse, ends blame game
Hyderabad: Putting the blame game to an end over the unsecured manhole in Moula Ka Chilla, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has formally assumed responsibility for resolving a cross-agency blame game with the GHMC and HMWSSB.
Going further into details, a five-year-old girl had a miraculous escape after falling into an uncovered manhole in Rein Bazar. Initially, the incident has ignited a fierce blame game among the city’s civic bodies, with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) holding the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) responsible for negligence.
Ending a public blame game, R V Ranganath, HYDRAA commissioner, said, “Conducted a preliminary enquiry into the non-closure of the manhole issue. Prima facie, HYDRAA is responsible for it. The concerned in-charge of the team will be held accountable. We will fix the responsibility/accountability and take stringent action against the erring personnel.”
According to eyewitnesses, the child was on her way to school around 8:00 AM when she accidentally stepped into the open manhole. Her cries for help were heard by a woman passerby, who quickly lifted her to safety. The girl escaped with minor injuries and is now in a stable condition.
Officials from GHMC, including the Deputy Commissioner of Circle-7 (Santosh Nagar) and the Executive Engineer of Division-7, rushed to the spot and later visited the child’s home to ensure her well-being.
Earlier, in a factual report issued by the Charminar Zonal Commissioner’s office, GHMC stated that the manhole had been opened by a HYDRAA team on September 10 for cleaning purposes. The team allegedly left the site without replacing the cover, creating a serious public safety hazard. The matter has been formally escalated to HYDRAA authorities with a stern advisory to prevent such lapses in the future.
However, HYDRAA has refuted the allegations, shifting responsibility to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB). A HYDRAA spokesperson said, “Our preliminary enquiry revealed that after completing the work, the HMWSSB crew failed to secure the manhole cover. Although our second-shift staff attempted to cover it, local residents requested it be left open as the drainage issue wasn’t fully resolved.”
The incident occurred on a day when Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, Chairman of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, was reviewing GHMC’s urban maintenance and safety initiatives.
HYDRAA has issued a directive to its field staff stressing that manhole covers should only be removed when absolutely necessary and must be securely replaced immediately after work completion. The agency has also urged citizens to report any open or unsafe manholes to its helpline at 9000113667.
