Mumbai:
The death of a 60-year-old man after falling into an open manhole in Mumbai has triggered an open blame game within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is responsible for the city’s civic infrastructure. The BMC Mayor has come under fire from her own deputy after the tragic incident.
Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi, who is from the Shiv Sena, has targeted Mayor Ritu Tawde, who is from the BJP.
“The Mayor took no action despite being informed about the open manholes,” Ghadi said.
The Deputy Mayor accepted that he too was responsible for the loss of life due to the BMC’s negligence but insisted he had alerted officials.
He placed the blame squarely on the Mayor and BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide. Targeting Bhide, Ghadi said the BMC commissioner must also take responsibility.
Has the BJP vs Sena tussle within the BMC come to the fore in the wake of the manhole death?
After the civic body elections earlier this year, the two allies were locked in tense negotiations over the mayor’s post. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had claimed the post, saying it has traditionally been with the party, whereas the BJP, being the single largest party, insisted on the mayor’s post. After prolonged negotiations, the two sides agreed on a power-sharing formula with a BJP mayor and Sena’s deputy mayor.
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora also targeted the alliance-led BMC over the manhole death. “Another life lost. Another preventable tragedy. How many more Mumbaikars must die before basic civic safety becomes a priority? Open manholes are not “accidents”, they are the result of negligence, failed systems & a lack of accountability. The Bombay High Court has repeatedly pulled up BMC over the recurring menace of open manholes & unsafe roads. Yet these entirely avoidable tragedies continue. Mumbai deserves answers,” he posted on X.
Another life lost. Another preventable tragedy. How many more Mumbaikars must die before basic civic safety becomes a priority? Open manholes are not “accidents”, they are the result of negligence, failed systems & a lack of accountability.
The Bombay High Court has repeatedly…
— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) July 2, 2026
A man was killed after being swept in a manhole amid heavy rain in Mumbai on Thursday. The incident took place around 12:30 pm on the Khairani Road, which connects the western suburbs of Andheri-Saki Naka and Jogeshwari to the central areas of Kurla and Ghatkopar, when he was reportedly talking on his mobile phone.
Aslam Sheikh died after falling into a Mumbai manhole on Thursday
His umbrella and slippers were found at the spot, and a search operation involving the Mumbai Fire Brigade, the police, and the 108 emergency ambulance service was launched to trace him. His body was recovered about two hours later.
The manhole cover had been left open due to ongoing maintenance work being carried out by a private contractor, officials said.
Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi said the BMC will file a case against the contractor, holding him responsible for “homicide”.
BMC Commissioner Bhide on Thursday called an emergency meeting of civic body officials after the Sakinaka manhole death. Bhide has sought a detailed report on the death due to negligence. The BMC Commissioner reviewed lapses in security arrangements, why the manhole was open, whether the departments concerned had taken necessary precautions, and who is responsible for the incident. A report on the incident has been sought from the departments concerned and strict action has been directed against those found guilty of negligence.
The BMC is also reviewing the city’s emergency situation, conditions in waterlogged areas, and measures being taken to ensure the safety of citizens.
The manhole death came two days after an 11-year-old boy was killed and four others were injured when a tree uprooted and collapsed on their moving school bus in Mumbai’s Chembur area. The BMC suspended an official, saying a preliminary inquiry found prima facie negligence on his part.
