Bangalore: An open manhole in the middle of a busy road has had three ‘cover-up jobs’ in less than a month. Located on Platform Road and close to the upscale Mantri Mall, the unattended manhole is proof of the civic agency’s apathy.
Our photographer first spotted the manhole on July 7, when it had a tree branch stuck by a good Samaritan to warn motorists about the death trap. A few residents had claimed the manhole sans cover surfaced a week ago and no one bothered to cover it. When BM visited the spot again on July 18, he found the gaping hole intact. This, time, it was covered by a tree stump and a vinyl hoarding was draped over it so motorists can spot it in the night.
On July 28, our lensman found it had still not been covered. However, it drew attention of the police, who kept the tree stump aside and placed barricades around the hole as a warning.
However, the agency concerned, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, has stuck to its ‘open’, policy, which was evident even on Tuesday, when the manhole remained uncovered.
Malleswaram traffic police have been making rounds to the BWSSB office (which is hardly 250 metres from the manhole) every day, requesting them to cover the hole, but in vain.
