Manhole lids being stolen in Hyderabad; Does GPS of HMWS&SB, GHMC, civic bodies help prevent stealth?

HYDERABAD: A gang of thieves are removing steel plates on the manholes and are selling them in scrap.

At least 30 manhole covers were stolen by the gang in Leelanagar of Ameerpet area. The Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar police are working overtime to nab the culprits. The police are analysing the CC Camera footage’s and also are considering to deploy CLUES teams to identify the gang of thieves.

Similarly, security men at Gun Park also said that the metallic lids of four manholes were stolen there.

Manholes are said to be death-traps.

Though 4,000 people were working round the clock to receive complaints, the HMWS&SB is facing severe difficulties in attending to all the complaints from all the 211 circles in the city, especially during rainy season.

Also Read: HMWSSB plans sensor alerts for overflowing manholes in Hyderabad

While the scrap business thrives, the HMWS&SB officials and the police of the three commissionerate area are planning to keep a stringent vigil on the thieves and also the scrap dealers across the city.

Anybody who is buying manhole lids with specific dimensions usually placed on manholes within colonies and also public places will be identified and brought to book.

There are more than 6 lakh to 7 lakh manholes being managed by GHMC, HMWS&SB Secunderabad Cantonment. While 2.70 lakh manholes are managed by GHMC almost an equal number are under the management of the water board.

If the municipal corporations like Bandlaguda Jagir, Peerzadiguda, Nizampet, Jawaharnagar, Badangpet and the municipalities like Manikonda and a Kompally are all added, the number could spill over to more than eight lakhs.

An executive director of the HMWS&SB Satyanarayana had told NewsTAP last year that the Board was planning to connect the manholes remotely through discreet sensors with geographical positioning systems (GPS) . The HMWSSB managed over 10,000-km-long sewer lines.

At least, a lakh and half manholes are located on the arterial roads of the city.

The sensors are intended at being linked to the central alert and monitoring system to know the overflow of underground drains.

However, the same system would alert the officials monitoring the manholes would get to know if anybody is stealing them.

If the manhole cover is damaged anywhere or removed, there is a customer care number 155313 with which complaints can be lodged.

Beware of the uncapped manholes. Watch your step lest you would fall into an open manhole. They would pose much bigger danger in rainy season.

There have been incidents of people falling in the manholes and being washed away. A software engineer G Rajinikanth (42) who had stirred out in heavy rain for fetching curd had fallen in a manhole and the body was traced at the culmination point of the drain the next day at Manikonda, a couple of years ago.

When the monsoon is approaching, steps should be taken to prevent theft of lids. It’s as important as preventing flooding on the roads which are choked every rainy season, causing severe traffic snarls for long hours.