Mumbai Mayor Visits Sakinaka Manhole Accident Site, Announces Rs 10 Lakh Aid
On Thursday, July 2, 2026, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde visited Khairani Road in Sakinaka, the location of a tragic accident where a 55-year-old resident died after falling into an open manhole. Following her inspection of the site, the Mayor visited Rajawadi Hospital to meet with the family of the victim, Aslam Ishaq Sheikh, who lost his life earlier in the day. During the meeting, Tawde announced that the municipal administration would provide immediate financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the grieving family.
At Rajawadi Hospital, Mayor Tawde met with several of Sheikh’s relatives to offer her personal condolences. Among the family members present were the victim’s son, his brother, and his sister-in-law, alongside other relatives. The Mayor spoke with them to express her sympathy and assured the family of comprehensive support from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the wake of the tragedy.
The incident took place earlier on Thursday on Khairani Road, prompting immediate concerns over civic safety. Speaking to media reporters at the scene of the accident in Sakinaka, Mayor Tawde discussed the preventative measures that should have been in place. She stated that she had repeatedly issued clear instructions to civic officials during various pre-monsoon preparedness meetings regarding the safety of the city's drainage network.
According to Mayor Tawde, those instructions specifically directed municipal officials to ensure that all manhole covers across Mumbai remained properly secured to prevent accidents. Furthermore, she noted that she had repeatedly demanded that adequate safety measures be fully implemented at all active civic work sites throughout the city.
The death of Aslam Ishaq Sheikh has led to a renewed focus on the critical need for securing open manholes and enforcing strict safety protocols at municipal project sites. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation now faces increased scrutiny regarding the implementation of the pre-monsoon safety guidelines outlined by the Mayor.
