Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has suspended four civic officials after a 60 year old man died when he fell into an uncovered stormwater drain during desilting work in Mumbai’s Sakinaka area. The civic body has also ordered a high level departmental inquiry, as the incident sparked fresh concerns over public safety during the monsoon.
The victim, Aslam Ishaq Shaikh, was walking along Khairani Road in the Chandivali Sakinaka area on Sunday evening when he accidentally stepped into an open manhole that had reportedly been left uncovered during drain maintenance. Rescue teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, disaster response units and the police launched a massive search operation before recovering his body several hours later from another drain opening downstream.
Acting swiftly after the incident, Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide suspended four officials from the L Ward pending an inquiry. The suspended officials are Assistant Municipal Commissioner Dhanaji Herlekar, Assistant Engineer Uttam Patil, Assistant Sub Engineer Deepak Chaugule, and Junior Engineer Abhijit Chaugule. Officials said the disciplinary action was taken after preliminary findings pointed to lapses in safety measures at the work site.
The BMC has constituted a high level inquiry committee under the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs), directing it to submit its report within seven days. The civic body has also filed a police complaint to determine responsibility for the alleged negligence that led to the fatal accident.
Speaking in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal said the initial investigation found that mandatory safety protocols had not been followed. CCTV footage reportedly showed workers opening the manhole to install a protective grill without placing barricades, warning signs or other safety equipment around the site, leaving pedestrians exposed to danger.
Officials also noted that desilting and maintenance work should ideally have been completed before the arrival of the monsoon instead of being carried out during heavy rainfall, when visibility is poor and roads are waterlogged.
Following the tragedy, the Maharashtra government directed the BMC to conduct a citywide inspection of all manholes and stormwater drains. Civic officials have been asked to complete a comprehensive safety audit across all 26 administrative wards and ensure that open drains are properly barricaded and secured during maintenance work.
The incident has triggered widespread criticism from residents and opposition leaders, who questioned the effectiveness of Mumbai’s annual monsoon preparedness despite repeated assurances from the civic administration. Several citizens also raised concerns over recurring accidents linked to inadequate safety arrangements at ongoing civic works.
The inquiry is expected to establish individual accountability and recommend further action against officials or contractors found responsible. Meanwhile, the BMC has said it will strengthen safety checks at all maintenance sites to prevent similar incidents during the ongoing monsoon season.
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