Septuagenarian man falls in sewage trench, dies

Hyderabad: The long-pending works at Tolichowki claim the life of a 78-year-old man who died after falling down in a 12-foot-deep trench reportedly left open for the sewerage works. However, no safety measures were taken by the officials on the spot. Moreover, every other lane in Tolichowki was dug up for the works being carried out under the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP), which was going on at a slow pace.

The elderly man was identified as Ghulam Mohammed, a resident of Gulshan Colony in Shaikpet. The incident was reported on Sunday while the man was returning home after offering namaz around 5:30 am. The passersby who witnessed the incident rescued him with the help of heavy machinery; after first aid, he was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. He died on Monday while undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital in Jubilee Hills. His son lodged a complaint with the police, in which he stated that his father accidentally fell into the trench that was on his left on the main road due to a lack of proper precautionary measures by Ayyappa Infra Projects while making the underground sewerage system.

The police booked a case of negligence under IPC 304(II) against persons belonging to HMWSSB and Ayyappa Infra Projects. This incident not only resulted in the loss of a citizen but also stirred a sense of unease in the neighbourhood, highlighting the importance of safety measures in such construction zones.

It has been observed that the works under SNDP have been going on since 2022 in various areas in Tolichowki. It is one of the major projects in the city of laying a 27-km long trunk lane with 12-feet and 15-feet deep, worth Rs 290 crore, covering the entire Karwan constituency. It was taken up by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. The works include the extension of box-type drains, remodelling of sewage lanes, and extension of nala in various areas under Karwan constituency.

Asif Hussain Sohail, an activist, said that the works have been going on for the past several months, and residents here are daily facing innumerable difficulties. " Residents, school and college students, commuters, and businesses have all expressed concerns about the dust, traffic, and regular sewage overflow. The concerned departments must take a serious note and instruct the respective agency to complete the work within the given time," he added.

Asif highlighted that the work is going on at a slow pace. The concerned agency dug up the road, and no further work was done for days, with no precautions taken to prevent any untoward incidents. He said, "As per the agency, the government is not releasing funds for the further works in the project, and the works get delayed."

Several representations were given by the residents to the departments regarding the slow pace of work, but nothing has been done.