Mumbai News: For Best Manhole Cover, BMC Experiments With Steel, Fiber & Ductile

Mumbai: To find affordable and best quality material for manhole protective nets, the BMC will undertake a project on a pilot basis wherein it will install covers made up of stainless steel, fiber and ductile. Subsequently, it will take a review to zero in on the material which fits the bill.

Currently, 6,308 protective nets are installed beneath manholes; 1,900 of them are made of ductile metal. The civic body aims to cover all manholes by the next monsoon.

Protective nets made up of stainless steel to cover manholes

In a bid to stop theft of manhole covers and thereby prevent mishaps like falling into gaping holes, the civic body developed a prototype of protective nets made of stainless steel. However, steel is found to be costlier than nets made of fiber and ductile. So, the civic body has decided to install 100 nets of these three types on the manholes and review their durability in the first week of September. The BMC will then finalise which type of net will be installed on manholes across Mumbai.

“The protective net made of stainless steel is expensive, so we have also decided to experiment with nets made of ductile and fiber. All three types of protective nets will be installed beneath 100 manholes on an experimental basis in the next 15 days. We will take a review next month and the final decision will be taken accordingly. Once we finalise the type of protective net, a tender will be invited,” said a civic official.

Before readying a steel prototype, various experiments were conducted to create more robust and reasonable nets with different types of metals like cast iron and mild steel.

Ward officials will be held responsible

After the rap from the High Court over open manholes, the civic authorities instructed all the assistant municipal commissioners of 24 wards and officials concerned to ensure that all the manholes are covered by August 20. Since a team appointed by the HC will be conducting a work inspection, the civic authorities have told the officials to submit a certificate, stating that all manholes have been covered, by 10 am on August 21. If any negligence is found in this case, strict action will be taken against the responsible officials, warned BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal.

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