Open manholes, drains continue to claim lives in Punjab

Five months have passed since the monsoon season ended in Punjab, yet dozens of projects related to water supply, sewerage, repair of manholes and putting covers on them in Lahore remain stalled. The incomplete projects, particularly covering the manholes and drains, hidden under the stagnant water, have become the deathtraps and posing serious threat to citizens’ lives. According to details, the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has left the city of Lahore in disarray under the guise of development. Due to deep excavations carried out for new pipelines and the failure to install or repair sewer covers in a timely manner, accidents are occurring daily not only in Lahore but across the province. In January 2026 alone, seven accidents were reported in which four people including two children lost their lives and seven sustained injuries. According to information obtained by The Express Tribune, over the past six years more than 100 incidents have been reported across Punjab involving people being injured or killed after falling into manholes or excavated pipeline trenches. These incidents resulted in 29 deaths, including nine children, while more than 65 people including children, elderly, and young individuals were injured. Nine children lost their lives after falling into open manholes or deep excavations, carried out to lay sewerage pipelines. Most of the incidents were reported in Lahore, Kasur, and Lodhran, while similar incidents also occurred in Sahiwal, Multan, Chiniot, Sargodha, and Khanewal. On the other hand, during sewer pipeline cleaning operations and due to the release of poisonous gases, a total of 23 workers lost their lives while 37 were shifted to hospitals with injuries. Available data shows that Lahore has a total of approximately 487,570 new and old sewer manholes. Every year, before and after the monsoon, around 10,000 gutters and manhole structures are affected due to theft of covers or breakage. According to WASA’s own survey report, more than 25 areas in the Lahore experienced cracks and manhole collapses last year. Incidents of people falling into deep excavations were also reported last year from Baba Ground, Civil Secretariat, and Gulberg III. Urban planner, Mian Sohail Hanif Bhandara stated that poor planning by WASA and the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), with roads built over decades-old sewer and water pipelines were the main causes of accidents. “As these aging lines fail, manholes break and roads cave in, especially during the rainy season. Unlike international practice, manholes are repaired and covers are put only after accidents occur,” claimed Bhandara. Conversely, WASA Lahore’s spokesperson Abuzar Saeed stated that due to the special efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, a complete survey of all sewer manholes in the city had been completed. “So far, 70 per cent of the work has been completed, and the remaining will be completed within the next few days,” said Saeed. WASA's Managing Director Ghafran Ahmed asserted that billions of rupees in funding were being used to replace pipelines on 26 major roads. “Once WASA is fully established across Punjab, uniform facilities will be available to everyone. Reportedly, WASA Lahore’s sewerage network spans more than 4,000 kilometers. The city has 10 major drains and 85 smaller tributary drains. There are also 15 large pumping stations in Lahore to drain sewer.

from Punjab News Updates and Insights - The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/a5zMEJ1