According to details, the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has left the city of Lahore in disarray under the guise of development. Due to deep excavations carried out for new pipelines and the failure to install or repair sewer covers in a timely manner, accidents are occurring daily not only in Lahore but across the province. In January 2026 alone, seven accidents were reported, resulting in four deaths and seven injuries. Among the deceased were two children.
According to information obtained by The Express Tribune, over the past six years more than 100 incidents have been reported across Punjab involving people being injured or killed after falling into sewer manholes or excavated pipeline trenches. These incidents resulted in 29 deaths, including nine children, while more than 65 children, elderly, and young individuals were injured. Nine children lost their lives after falling into open manholes or sewer excavations.
Most of the incidents involving deaths and injuries due to sewer excavations and open manholes were reported in Lahore, Kasur, and Lodhran, while similar incidents also occurred in Sahiwal, Multan, Chiniot, Sargodha, and Khanewal. On the other hand, during sewer pipeline cleaning operations and due to the release of poisonous gases, a total of 23 workers have lost their lives and 37 have been injured.
Available data shows that Lahore has a total of approximately 487,570 new and old sewer manholes. Every year, before and after the monsoon, around 10,000 gutters and manhole structures are affected due to theft or breakage. According to WASA’s own survey report, more than 25 areas in the city experienced cracks and manhole collapses last year. Incidents of people falling into deep excavations were also reported last year from Baba Ground, Civil Secretariat, and Gulberg III.
Urban planner Mian Sohail Hanif Bhandara stated that accidents were caused by poor planning by WASA and the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), with roads built over decades-old sewer and water pipelines. “As these aging lines fail, manholes break and roads cave in, especially during the rainy season. Unlike international practice, manholes here are repaired or replaced only after accidents occur,” claimed Bhandara.
Conversely, WASA Lahore’s spokesperson Abuzar Saeed stated that due to the special efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, a complete survey of all sewer manholes in the city had been completed. “So far, 70 per cent of the work has been completed, and the remaining work will be completed within the next few days,” said Saeed.
WASA’s Managing Director Ghafran Ahmed asserted that billions of rupees in funding were being used to replace pipelines on 26 major roads. “Once WASA is fully established across Punjab, uniform facilities will be available to everyone.
Sewerage and water supply work is ongoing under the Punjab government’s development program, and these measures will permanently resolve the issues,” said Ahmed.
Reportedly, WASA Lahore’s sewerage network spans more than 4,000 kilometers. The city has 10 major drains and 85 smaller tributary drains. There are also 15 large pumping stations in Lahore that operate to drain sewer water. Since last year, work has been ongoing under a special project on a 48-inch diameter sewer pipeline.