The Punjab government plans to introduce stringent legal measures, including fines of up to Rs100 million, to curb the growing problem of manhole cover theft across Lahore and other cities in the province, officials said on Thursday.
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The proposed move follows a series of theft-related incidents in which missing manhole covers led to fatal accidents, particularly involving children, and caused severe blockages in sewerage systems. Officials say the scale and persistence of the thefts have prompted the government to reassess existing laws, which are seen as inadequate to deter organised criminal activity.
According to official sources, the proposal aims to target not only individual thieves but also factories, scrap dealers and other commercial entities involved in purchasing, reselling or processing stolen manhole covers and their components. The value of a new manhole cover, including its iron ring, ranges between Rs8,000 and Rs12,000, while the iron rings — often weighing up to 30 kilograms — fetch attractive prices in the scrap market, making them a prime target for theft.
The issue was discussed in a recent meeting of the housing and urban development and public health engineering department, attended by managing directors of water and sanitation agencies and other relevant officials. Participants were informed that thefts were no longer isolated incidents but appeared to involve organised networks operating through scrap markets and construction-related businesses.
To counter this, the proposed legal framework envisages imposing heavy financial penalties, potentially running into tens of millions of rupees, on entities found facilitating or benefiting from the illicit trade. District-level police special branch teams are also expected to be involved in monitoring and investigating suspected groups, with a focus on identifying organised patterns rather than treating cases as petty theft.
Officials said water and sanitation agencies would be directed to form dedicated monitoring and rapid-response teams to prevent further losses and enhance public safety. They also noted that the common perception linking manhole cover theft solely to drug addicts may have allowed organised groups to evade scrutiny.
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Further consultations are planned to finalise amendments to relevant laws and improve coordination among civic agencies and law enforcement bodies.