A video emerging from Hindu Colony in Dadar East has gone viral, showcasing a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) worker risking his life to protect the public during Mumbai’s heavy monsoon downpour. In the clip, the employee is seen sitting beside an open manhole, alerting pedestrians and motorists to prevent anyone from accidentally falling into the water-filled pit. Every monsoon, open manholes in Mumbai result in numerous accidents, sometimes fatal. On a day when the city faced flooded streets and disrupted train services, the worker’s vigilant act stood out, earning admiration as a real-life guardian for residents navigating the relentless rain.
The footage captures the BMC employee completely drenched yet steadfast in his responsibility to ensure public safety. This act underscores significant gaps in the city’s monsoon preparedness, despite the BMC being one of India’s richest civic bodies. Even with advanced drainage equipment and high-capacity pumps, municipal workers continue to rely on risky, manual measures, such as physically guarding open manholes. The incident has ignited discussions over why essential employees in 2025 are forced to put their lives on the line, highlighting the urgent need for safer protocols and better infrastructure to protect both citizens and frontline workers during extreme weather events.
Mumbai Battles Torrential Downpours
Since Sunday night, Mumbai has been relentlessly drenched by heavy rainfall, causing multiple low-lying areas to flood. Hindmata, Kings Circle, Matunga, Five Gardens, and Hindu Colony were among the worst-hit, with waterlogging leaving commuters stranded and disrupting normal life. The BMC deployed powerful pumps to remove water from affected streets, yet drainage proved insufficient as the showers persisted. In several locations, workers were seen opening manholes to allow quicker water dispersal, often putting themselves at risk. The city’s struggle to manage the monsoon highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining urban infrastructure against extreme weather, emphasizing the human effort behind relief operations.
Transport Services Severely Impacted
Mumbai’s transport system faced major disruptions as local trains, the city’s lifeline, were affected by waterlogged tracks. Road traffic slowed drastically in Dadar, Matunga, and Sion, with vehicles struggling through knee-deep water as commuters waited for relief. Despite BMC efforts to manage water levels, persistent rainfall continued to hinder movement across key areas. The flooding not only delayed travel but also showcased the vulnerability of the city’s infrastructure during monsoon season. The combined pressure on roads, trains, and civic staff reflects the challenges Mumbai faces each year, with residents and frontline workers braving harsh conditions to maintain some semblance of normalcy.