A sewage spill from a damaged manhole has spread across Mangaluru’s busy PVS Road towards PVS Circle, creating slippery driving conditions and public hygiene concerns for commuters, shopowners and nearby businesses. The Mangaluru City Corporation has said officials will inspect the site and address the maintenance issue.
Wastewater is reportedly overflowing continuously through a broken pipe protruding from the manhole, covering a considerable portion of the main road. The spill has also created a persistent foul smell along the stretch, adding to the inconvenience for people using the road and businesses operating nearby.
The slippery surface is particularly hazardous for two-wheeler riders, who may lose control while passing through the affected section. The problem is located in the middle of the main road, according to a shopowner quoted in the report, increasing the likelihood that vehicles will have to pass directly through the sewage water.
Raghu, who runs a store near PVS Road, said the problem had continued for a long time despite repeated complaints to the city corporation. He said the manhole’s position in the middle of the road allowed sewage water to spill directly onto the carriageway and posed a major accident risk, especially for two-wheeler riders.
He also said the danger becomes harder to identify during the rainy season, when water can fill the street and obscure open or damaged manholes. Under those conditions, riders may be unable to distinguish the sewage-affected portion of the road from ordinary rainwater, increasing the risk of skidding and falling.
A tailor operating a shop nearby described the overflow as a major inconvenience on a road used by a large number of vehicles every day. He urged the city corporation to take immediate action to prevent a serious accident and restore safe movement along the stretch.
The incident highlights the road-level consequences of a damaged sewerage asset when maintenance problems remain unresolved on a busy urban corridor. In this case, the failure is affecting both the carriageway and adjoining commercial activity, while also raising concerns about contact with wastewater in a public space.
Responding to the complaints, Sahana, a junior executive engineer at the Mangaluru City Corporation, said she had informed the departments concerned. She said officials would visit the site, inspect the problem and resolve the maintenance issue at the earliest.
The next step announced by the corporation is a site inspection by its officials, followed by repairs to the damaged manhole or associated pipework. No completion timeline or details of the proposed repair were provided in the report.
