Thane Resident Plants Flowers in Open Manholes For Civic Body to Notice Danger

Citizens hurrying to work paused momentarily to glance at a bouquet of flowers with the legend ‘Saheb’ sticking out of an open manhole on a footpath, here on Tuesday. Many bemused people clicked on their mobile phones the potentially dangerous open gutter-lines without the mandatory protective cover, to warn gullible pedestrians of the risk, highlighted in a peaceful ‘Gandhi-giri’ style. Local activist Dr Binu Varghese – who shared pictures and videos of that stretch of road – claimed the open manholes are opposite the home of local Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Sanjay Kelkar and near the old home of Nationalist Congress Party’s Housing Minister Dr Jitendra Awhad. Dr Varghese called upon the elected leaders and the civic officials to cover up all the gutters or manholes in the city to prevent similar mishaps with heavy rain forecast for the next few days. After the photo went viral, the Thane Municipal Corporation noticed the issue, and a few hours later and refurbished the footpath, along with providing manhole covers, reports Mumbai Live.