Hyderabad: In preparation for the fast-approaching monsoon season, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is set to implement a series of enhanced safety features for all manholes in the city. Within a week, all manholes will be covered with grills, those on arterial roads will be painted red, and others identified as dangerous or prone to waterlogging will bear a red flag.
The GHMC oversees a sewage network spanning 5,767 kilometers within the city, while municipalities on the outskirts account for an additional 4,200 kilometers. There are officially about 635,000 manholes, including 63,221 categorized as deep manholes, with approximately 42% of these located within GHMC limits.
During a discussion on the monsoon action plan, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) Managing Director C. Sudarshan Reddy emphasized that covering manholes with grills is part of a broader safety mission, and most of the work has been completed. He advised residents to report any damaged, unauthorized, or open manhole lids by dialing 155313.
Reddy stressed the importance of ensuring a clean and safe drinking water supply and effective sewage management during the monsoon. “No supply of contaminated water and adequate chlorine in water must be ensured. Complaints about sewage management must be taken seriously and resolved within 30 minutes,” he told officials, urging them to use pollution identification machines.
Continuous monitoring of the 120 identified waterlogging points, cleanup of removed silt, installation of warning boards, and provision of protective equipment for field staff are to be part of the daily work checklist. Field-level managers are tasked with closely inspecting their areas and preparing daily situation reports on waterlogging points and manholes. Special teams have also been assigned specific duties.
The Central Safety Protocol Cell, established in 2022, consists of a six-member team headed by the chief vigilance officer, who also serves as the chief safety protocol officer. This team will play a crucial role in ensuring the safety measures are effectively implemented and monitored.
With these comprehensive safety measures, GHMC aims to mitigate the risks associated with manholes during the monsoon season, ensuring the safety and well-being of the city’s residents.
