A step away from danger: Manhole filled with sewage, sludge lies open on EVK Road

As the stormwater drain has been built beneath pedestrian pavements, by not attending issues, the civic body is putting the lives of pedestriansin danger.

“During non-rainy days, the stormwater drains should be dry. But the stormwater drain on the EVK Sampath Road is filled with sewage and sludge. Opposite a private bank, one of the manholes lacks lid and it lies open,” a shop owner, on the condition of anonymity, said.

He added that pedestrians need to be extra cautious while walking on the pavement during night hours.

When DT Next visited the spot, some wary residents tried to alert the pedestrians by placing small branches of trees. Just a few feet away, there was a huge hole in the concrete and the debris was lying close to it. The damaged portion reveals uncleared mud inside the stormwater drain, that would clog the free flow of rainwater.

K Siddharth, a private employee, said that he had almost fallen inside the manhole a few days ago while walking after nightfall. “I saw the open manhole just before stepping into it. Luckily, I escaped an accident that day,” he said.

When contacted, an official attached to Royapuram zone said that the civic body did not receive any complaint from the public till Friday. “I will direct engineers to attend the issue and to close the manhole,”he assured.

Asked about the sludge inside the stormwater drain, the official said that the civic body is preparing estimation to desilt the drain. “Once the estimation is ready, we will float tenders and the drain will be desilted before monsoon,”he said.