Mumbai: A day after 55-year-old Sakinaka resident Aslam Isak Shaikh died after falling into an open, unbarricaded manhole, police arrested three contractual workers for negligence while a BMC inquiry found multiple procedural and safety violations, including the absence of a formal work order for installing protective nets along the sewage line, raising questions about why the work was undertaken.A BMC official privy to the case said, “Neither the area’s junior engineer nor the mukadam (supervisor) were informed about the work, meaning no civic supervision or inspection was carried out before or during the work. Had we been aware, a team from the ward would have been definitely sent to the site,” the official said.Civic officials said they tried to contact the contractor responsible for the work but did not get a satisfactory explanation on who authorised the activity or why it continued despite the absence of official approval.All road and storm water drain works have a May 31 deadline every year as no work is usually taken up during monsoon unless it’s an emergency. “There was also an ongoing wet spell, so there would never have been any permission itself issued to carry out any works as such,” said the official.However, civic sources said there were around four protection nets along manholes that were to be installed along the road, but such works are often carried out on an understanding that they would be completed in a short duration. The sources said the work meant to prevent falls into manholes led to Shaikh falling to his death.Meanwhile, Sakinaka police formed multiple teams to track the contractor after closed circuit television (CCTV) footage from Khairani Road, shot during heavy rain, showed no safety barricades or warning signs at the worksite.The four accused, including the contractor who is on the run, were booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 3(5) (common intention). Police did not disclose the names of the accused, saying it could hamper the investigation.“The CCTV grabs at the worksite showed no sign board or barricade, due to which Shaikh, a resident of Yadav Nagar in Sakinaka, returning home from work on Thursday, slipped into the uncovered manhole and died,” said a police officer of Sakinaka police station.The case was registered on a complaint lodged by a BMC officer from L ward against the contractor and the workers engaged in the repair work.During the probe, police sought access to CCTV footage from a nearby hotel that captured the entire incident and showed civic workers working at the site without installing barricades or warning signs, in violation of prescribed safety norms. Shaikh was seen talking on his mobile phone moments before the accident.“Workers at the site immediately lowered a ladder into the manhole in an attempt to rescue him, but strong water currents hampered the search. Only his umbrella and slippers were initially recovered,” said the officer.Shaikh’s body was recovered near SJ Studio in Sakinaka at 1 pm on Thursday. He was taken to Rajawadi Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.Meanwhile, mayor Ritu Tawde conducted an on-site inspection of Cotton Green railway station, Reay Road, and Sewri fire station area and directed the Mumbai Port Trust to take proper measures for water drainage and for safety around manholes. During the inspection, it was noticed that water had accumulated in low-lying civilian areas within the port trust jurisdiction and it was not draining. Tawde then directed officials to immediately install water-pumping pumps and take necessary measures. Noting that despite waterlogging in the area, Mumbai Port Trust had not installed even a single pump for water removal, the mayor directed that pumps of the required capacity be deployed immediately. Similarly, near Cotton Green railway station, work was underway under a bridge with an open manhole, but there were no barricades, nor were staff present at the spot.(Inputs by Sanjeev Devesia)
