Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Punjab to become open manhole-free by June 30, says Harjot Bains
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, June 22, 2026: In a major public safety initiative ahead of the monsoon season, Punjab Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains has directed all urban local bodies to ensure that every city in the state becomes free of open manholes by June 30.
Issuing strict instructions to Municipal Commissioners and Additional Deputy Commissioners (Urban Development), the minister said compliance reports must be submitted after the completion of the exercise. He warned that any negligence in implementing the “Zero Open Manhole” campaign under Mission Clean Punjab would invite strict disciplinary action.
Bains said the directive follows a state-level safety audit that identified 1,451 open manholes across Punjab's urban sewerage network. More than 1,000 of these have already been covered, but the remaining hazards must be addressed without delay to prevent accidents during the rainy season.
Describing open manholes as “death traps,” particularly during periods of heavy rainfall and waterlogging, the minister stressed that public safety remains the government's top priority. He said there would be zero tolerance for lapses that could put citizens at risk.
The campaign forms part of the Punjab Government’s Mission Clean Punjab programme being implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
To strengthen monitoring and accountability, the Local Government Department has introduced an AI-enabled mobile application that will track the closure of manholes in real time. In addition, civil officers have been instructed to conduct daily field inspections between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., while dedicated war rooms established in urban centres will monitor complaints related to waterlogging, blocked sewer lines and other monsoon-related issues round the clock.
Administrative Secretary of the Local Government Department, Ghanshyam Thori, who is overseeing the campaign, said only a few days remain before the deadline and warned that officers failing to meet targets would face disciplinary proceedings.