The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has pinned responsibility on a private contractor for the tragic death of a 43-year-old man, who fell into an open manhole near a water storage facility in the Manjalpur area on Friday night. The civic body has initiated strict action against the agency for alleged gross negligence.
A Fatal Night Out Turns Tragic
Vipulsinh Zala, a resident of Manjalpur, had gone out for dinner with relatives at a street food joint near the outdoor sports complex. According to his brother-in-law, Girirajsinh Chudasama, Zala asked his family members to get out of the car while he went to park it nearby. When he did not return for a considerable time, the worried family began searching for him.
Their search led them to an open manhole, where they spotted Zala's shoes floating inside. Panicked, they immediately alerted the fire brigade and the 108 emergency services. Zala was rescued and rushed to a hospital, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
Contractor's Negligence and Civic Body's Response
The agency tasked with cleaning the Manjalpur water tank is Eco Facilities Management Service (EFMS), which holds an annual contract with the VMC for cleaning water tanks across the city. A preliminary report submitted to the municipal commissioner revealed shocking details.
Dharmikkumar Dave, the in-charge additional city engineer, stated that a worker from EFMS had opened the lid of a main sewage line manhole near the water tank to drain water from a nearby sump. "The water was diverted into the manhole, but the lid was either not properly replaced or left open," Dave explained, highlighting the fatal oversight.
In the aftermath, the VMC's engineering department has recommended blacklisting the contractor. The civic body has also filed a formal complaint at the Manjalpur police station, holding EFMS responsible for negligence leading to death. As of late Friday, no formal offence had been registered by the police.
Political Reaction and Demands for Justice
The opposition Congress party in the VMC did not hold back, blaming both the contractor and civic officials for the incident. City Congress president Rutvij Joshi visited the accident site and later attended Zala's cremation. He demanded that the VMC provide adequate compensation to the victim's grieving family and offer a job to a family member on compassionate grounds.
Poor Visibility and Cluttered Pathway Contributed
Investigations into the site conditions revealed a dangerous environment. Sources indicated that the manhole was located in a poorly lit area, with dense tree cover further darkening the spot. The road was obstructed on one side by large-diameter pipes and on the other by street food carts, leaving only narrow passages for pedestrians. Officials believe this combination of poor lighting and restricted walking space likely caused Zala to fall into the uncovered pit.
This incident has raised serious questions about the monitoring of contracted work and basic safety protocols in public spaces, prompting calls for stricter oversight to prevent such avoidable tragedies in the future.
