Guwahati: The death of a 42-year-old man who allegedly fell into an uncovered drain along the National Highway at Guwahati’s Lalmati while out for a morning walk has renewed concerns over the city’s long-standing problem of open drains and manholes.Tutul Borgohain’s death after falling into an uncovered drain is the second such incident in Guwahati this year. In April, Payel Nath died after reportedly falling into an uncovered drain in Maligaon amid heavy rain.The incident comes months after the Gauhati high court took serious note of the risks posed by open manholes and drains in the city.Hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate Sandeep Chamaria on artificial flooding and unsafe drainage systems, the court in May directed the state govt to take immediate steps to cover all open manholes in Guwahati.The court observed that exposed manholes and drains pose a grave threat to public safety, particularly during rain when they could become submerged and difficult to spot. The PIL also referred to Nath’s death in Maligaon.The incident is the latest in a series of fatal incidents reported in Guwahati over the past two decades involving people falling into open drains, manholes or water-filled drainage channels, particularly during heavy rain and waterlogging.At least 10 people, including four minors, have died in such incidents in the city since 2003.In July 2024, eight-year-old Abhinash Sarkar fell into an open stormwater drain at Jyotinagar while travelling with his father during heavy rain. His body was recovered three days later. In Sept that year, another minor died after falling into a manhole at Kahilipara.The recurring deaths have raised questions over the safety of Guwahati’s drainage infrastructure, particularly during the monsoon when heavy rainfall and waterlogging can make open drains and uncovered manholes difficult to spot.Advocate Chamaria highlighted these concerns in his PIL.
