Open manholes, drains threat to pedestrians, traffic

The number of open manholes and drains increased in the capital pose serious threat to pedestrians and traffic particularly since several areas were inundated by the recent incessant rains. 
The number of open manholes increased recently as their covers got damaged after they were kept open to facilitate flushing out stagnant rain waters. 
Officials of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority as well as the two city corporations admitted that the number of open manholes increased in recent days but they could not provide their number.
They said recent rains submerged many roads and drains and the manhole covers were kept open by locals to facilitate drainage of stagnant waters when many manhole covers were stolen.
Dhaka WASA managing director Taqsem A Khan said they would soon replace the stolen manhole covers.
He said that over 70 per cent of the capital’s drainage network as well as the manholes were maintained by Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation.
DSCC additional chief engineer Asaduzzaman told New Age that that the burden of replacing manhole covers fall on the engineering department with it manpower and resource shortages after the cleaners remove the covers to facilitate drainage of stagnant water from the roads.
He said that the engineering department of the DSCC always replaced the manhole covers as soon as it was informed that they had been stolen or damaged.
DNCC chief executive officer Mesbahul Islam said that all the departments of the corporation had been instructed to replace stolen or damaged manhole covers as speedily as possible. 
During visits to Mugda, Kamlapur, Motijheel, Malibagh, Khilgaon, Mogbazar, Malibagh, Magbazar, Jatrabari, Mirpur and other areas in the capital New Age found hundreds of open manholes at areas which were submerged temporarily following recent heavy rains. 
People in different localities said none from the two city corporations and Dhaka WASA came to replace manhole covers after the recent heavy rains.
At least four manholes on a lane near Dhalpur New Road were found covered with damaged covers or they were just left open.
Locals left branches on open manholes to keep traffic or pedestrians out of harms way.
Several open drains were found at Mirpur, Motijheel, Malibagh, Karwanbazar, Mohammadpur, Agargoan and other areas in the capital. 
Locals complained that open manholes caused many accidents and they squarely blamed the authorities for the avoidable mishaps.
According to media reports, at least eight people lost lives falling into open manholes and drains in the capital since 2012.
On March 6, Shanu Miah 50, a blind person fell into an open manhole on the Culvert Road of Paltan area and died 
Four days later, an unidentified teenage girl died falling into an open manhole at Bhogara-Bypass area in the Gazipur City.
In Gazipur, nursery student of Hyderabad Ideal School and College Rummanur Hossain died falling into a borehole adjacent to his school while he was playing with friends.
Ismail Hossain Nirob, 5, and Md Yasin, 8, died falling into open manholes in the capital last year.
The number of deaths caused by falling into open manholes would rise if unreported incidents were taken into account said angry parents of victims. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net