Vadodara: A 40-year-old man died late Friday night after accidentally falling into an open sewage manhole in the Manjalpur area of the city. The manhole had reportedly been left uncovered following cleaning work at a municipal water tank, triggering public anger over alleged civic negligence.

According to preliminary information, the water tank had been cleaned earlier in the day by an agency contracted by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). As part of the cleaning activity, a sewage manhole was opened to drain out water from the tank. However, after the work was completed, the manhole was allegedly not closed.

Later, at around 7:30 pm, the victim, Vipulsinh Zala, a resident of Gayatri Krupa Society, Manjalpur, accidentally fell into the uncovered manhole. Passers-by and relatives rushed to the spot and alerted the fire brigade. Fire personnel pulled Zala out of the manhole and shifted him to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

A family member of the victim said that they had gone to a Chinese food stall near the Manjalpur water tank. After dropping his family members near the stall, Zala went to park his car across the road. While walking back in the dark, he reportedly failed to notice the open manhole and stepped into it. “When he did not return for a few minutes, we began searching for him and found him inside the manhole. We called 108 and the fire brigade, who came and took him out,” said the victim’s brother-in-law.

The manhole is estimated to be about 17 feet deep, and fire personnel reportedly faced difficulty in retrieving the body. The surrounding pipeline area was also in a dilapidated condition, as pipes had been removed earlier in the day as part of the sump-cleaning work. Pipes and other materials were said to be lying near the spot, further obstructing visibility and making it difficult for pedestrians to notice the hazard at night.

Following the incident, VMC Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu stated that strict action would be taken against the contractor responsible for the work. “The manhole was left open by the agency after completion of the task. A detailed report has been sought, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings,” he said.

Additional City Engineer (Water Supply Department) Dharmik Dave said the incident occurred because the drainage manhole had been left open. “During investigation, it was found that the drainage manhole was left open after cleaning work. Legal action will be taken against the contractor of Eco Facility Company responsible for the operation,” he said.

Zala was employed with Alembic Company and is survived by his wife and a son. His father, Mohansinh Zala, is a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police. DeshGujarat