Trouble of manholes in the city must be resolved

Two years ago, a German embassy diplomat had a mishap with a manhole in Dhaka and posted a brief tweet about it. Within hours, the open manholes in the upscale Gulshan area of the capital were covered. Such small and major accidents occur frequently, and only when a major incident happens do the officials of the Dhaka City Corporation take action. However, over time, if no new incidents occur, the issue of repairing hazardous manholes goes unnoticed and reverts to its previous state. As a result, the longstanding nuisance of manholes in the city persists.

It is now the rainy season. During this time, road digging starts all over the city, leading to urban citizens' suffering. Some roadworks even take more than three months to complete. During this period, the problem of manholes becomes endless. Typically, during the rainy season, accidents where people fall into manholes and get injured happen frequently. However, these incidents do not get reported in the media, nor do they spark any discussions.

If investigated, it will be found that negligence and lack of oversight are the reasons for these recurring tragic incidents. As a result, some people end up breaking their limbs or even losing their lives. However, looking at the situation in all the cities of the country, it becomes evident that this negligence is not limited to Dhaka alone; it is a pattern seen in all the cities across the country.

Manholes are essential for drainage in the city. However, in the capital Dhaka, as well as in every divisional and district city across the country, the improper installation process of manholes causes significant trouble for vehicles and pedestrians. Open manholes pose a deadly threat to people, especially children, the elderly, and visually impaired pedestrians.

In the capital, there is an average of one manhole every 30 meters. Dhaka WASA manages 41,000 manholes over 350 kilometers of underground drains and 880 kilometers of sewer lines. Additionally, the two city corporations have over 33,000 manholes. The Public Works Department and the National Housing Authority also have some manholes. Even though covers are placed on these manholes, they often go missing after a short time. Organized gangs steal the manhole covers and sell them at scrapyards. Additionally, for various reasons, the covers also get damaged and broken. As a result, at least 10% of manholes are always left uncovered, and due to the authorities' negligence, they are not replaced promptly. In addition, due to road repairs every year, the surface of the roads has risen at least 2 to 3 feet above the level of the manhole covers. As a result, the tops of the manhole covers have turned into large pits. Vehicles constantly face accidents due to falling into these pits while moving on the road in an uncareful manner.

Accidents are not only caused by falling into manholes. Many times, workers also face tragic deaths while cleaning sewers. This is because decaying water and waste in the sewers produce toxic gases. Since the workers lack any protective gear, they are exposed to these hazardous conditions and face the risk of accidents.

In this situation, the City Corporation or WASA authorities must be vigilant and sincere about their responsibilities. They should construct manholes in a way that ensures easy waste drainage and is compatible with the road infrastructure. Additionally, they need to adopt modern engineering solutions to resolve manhole issues and demonstrate greater accountability and acquire better skills in their work.