CHANDIGARH, June 22
In a sweeping public safety directive, Punjab Local Government Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains has set a June 30, 2026 deadline for every city in the state to be “open manhole-free”, while directing all municipal Commissioners and ADCs (Urban Development) to submit a compliance report in this regard. He made it clear that laxity on “zero open manhole” drive under Mission Clean Punjab will invite strict consequences.
The directive follows a state-wide safety audit that exposed 1,451 gaps in sewerage infrastructure ahead of the monsoon season, S. Harjot Singh said that over 1000 have already been rectified. He stressed that verified closure of all remaining open manholes is non-negotiable to avert water-logging related accidents during the rainy season.
Calling open manholes “death traps” especially during rains, S. Harjot Singh Bains emphasised that citizen safety is non-negotiable and warned of zero tolerance for negligence. The drive is part of the broader ‘Mission Clean Punjab’ initiative spearheaded by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government.
To ensure accountability, the Local Government department has rolled out an AI-integrated mobile app for real-time tracking of manhole closures. Civic officials must now conduct mandatory field inspections daily from 7 AM to 8 AM, while 24×7 ‘War Rooms’ in all urban centres will monitor water-logging, sewer blockages and monsoon-related complaints, he added.
With only 8 days left to meet the deadline, Administrative Secretary Local Government Mr. Ghanshyam Thori, who is personally overseeing the drive, warned that any official found negligent in closing open manholes will face disciplinary action and the accountability will be fixed.
