Bhubaneswar: A 45-year-old man, Sinu Gagarai, died on Thursday, allegedly after slipping into an uncovered drain at Salia Sahi, one of the city’s largest slum clusters. Police said the victim sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to Capital Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.Maitree Vihar police registered an UD case in the matter. “We registered the case and initiated an investigation. Things will be clear only after enquiry with the family members and local residents,” a police official said.Locals alleged that despite repeated complaints, the drain remained open and posed a danger to pedestrians. “We demanded proper covers for months, but nothing was done. These drains are death traps,” said Rohit Jena, a resident of Salia Sahi.This was not an isolated case. Bhubaneswar witnessed several such incidents over the years. “The recurring mishaps exposed the seriousness of the civic body in ensuring public safety. This is not acceptable,” Tarakanta Majhi, another resident, said.According to civic data, over 27 km of drains remained uncovered in the city, despite repeated directives from the National Human Rights Commission to ensure safety measures. Experts said poor planning and lack of barricades during the monsoon made these drains hazardous.“Open drains are a ticking time bomb. The city needs urgent intervention to prevent such avoidable deaths. The city has 11 natural drainage channels which need to be guarded for their own preservation and people’s safety,” said city-based urban planner Dipu Nanda.A senior BMC official said they were reviewing the incident and would take corrective steps. “We are not yet sure that the man died after falling into the drain. However, covering drains and installing barricades remained our top priority,” he said.In Aug 2024, a nine-year-old boy died after being swept away in an open drain at Unit-III. Following the incident, the BMC took proactive steps and barricaded all the natural drainage channels, and also covered the large drains with concrete slabs.“We took the matter on priority and also removed an engineer following the 2024 incident. We are completely aware and working to ensure the safety of the people from such mishaps,” city mayor Sulochana Das said.
