Vadodara Manhole Death Sparks Outrage

A 40-year-old man died after falling into an uncovered sewage manhole in Vadodara’s Manjalpur area on Friday evening, triggering public anger and action by the civic body against the contractor responsible for maintenance work.

The victim, Vipulsinh Zala, fell into the open manhole near a municipal water tank around 7.30 pm. Cleaning and pipeline work had been carried out earlier in the day, but the manhole was allegedly left uncovered amid poor lighting and without barricades or warning signs.

“When he did not return for a few minutes, we started looking for him. We then realised he had fallen into the manhole. We immediately called emergency services and the fire brigade,” Zala’s brother-in-law said. Firefighters later pulled him out from the 15–17 foot-deep pit, but he was declared dead on arrival at a private hospital.

Vadodara Municipal Corporation officials said a detailed inquiry is underway. “The manhole was left open by the agency after completion of the work. A detailed report has been sought, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings,” VMC Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu said. The contractor has been identified for legal action and blacklisting, while Zala, an employee of Alembic Company, is survived by his wife and young son.