Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Aug 2: In a worrying trend, more than 45 manhole covers have been stolen from Srinagar in recent months, triggering serious safety concerns, officials said.
They said the latest incident captured on CCTV, shows a man in a passenger auto stealing a few covers in the early hours of July 31 along the busy residency road stretch, from SBI Bank to Abi Guzar Srinagar.
Officials from Srinagar Smart City Limited (SSCL) said that these thefts have been taking place since December 2024, when 24 covers were stolen from Linz Restaurant to Polo View.
He said more recently over five manhole covers have also gone missing between Press Enclave and Clock Tower. “This is not just theft and it directly endangers pedestrians and motorists. These covers are essential for safety, especially in high-footfall areas like Lal Chowk,” said a senior official from Smart City Srinagar SSCL.
He said SSCL engineers had to personally restore multiple manholes in the past two days to prevent any mishaps. “A day before the recent incident, our three Junior Engineers manually fixed two open manholes and they were again out repairing more after the July 31 theft,” the official said.
Meanwhile, following the latest incident, SSCL has written to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar and SHO Kothibagh, requesting immediate registration of an FIR and review of CCTV footage to trace and arrest the culprits.
Moreover, the letter also called for strict legal action and permanent measures to secure these manholes. “The stolen covers must be restored and efforts must be made to prevent future thefts,” it stated.
Additionally, with the frequency of such incidents increasing and including a similar case recently reported from Bemina, the Smart City officials have stressed the urgency of safeguarding vital urban infrastructure and ensuring citizen safety.
