The GHMC has received scores of complaints in response to its call to citizens asking them to report about open manholes and catchpits. During the first two days after the announcement of ‘No Open Manhole’ policy, the number of complaints received were close to 300.
Surprisingly enough, manholes without covers is also the most repeated complaint on social media with reference to GHMC.
However, three days after the policy was announced, GHMC has discovered that almost half of the manholes mentioned in the complaints belong to the Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB).
“Now, our idea is to work in coordination with the Water Board, with the board receiving complaints and forwarding those pertaining to the catchpits managed by us,” shared an official.
GHMC Commissioner M. Dana Kishore had asked citizens to take pictures of open manholes and catch-pits and share them on a phone number (88974-77250). GHMC would resolve the issue by covering the same within five hours, he had said, adding that damaged covers will be replaced within 24 hours.
Besides HMWS&SB, GHMC also provides underground drainage system to peripheral areas of the city and is responsible for maintaining 2,96,329 manholes. It also has to take care of 1,22,461 catch-pits on its storm water drainage network in the city.
“Theft is one frequent problem faced with regard to the iron covers. We have no other go than to replace them. Other than theft, there are also problems of manhole or catch-pit covers not placed as per alignment, which eventually break when run over by vehicles,” says Chief Engineer (Maintenance) Mohammed Ziauddin.
On an average, 35 catch-pit covers and 100 manhole covers are replaced every month in each circle of GHMC, he said.
On Saturday, the issue of open manholes was discussed during an extensive meeting with field level officials, and it was decided to address the issue at the earliest soon after complaints are received.