As Mumbai Mayor inspects flooding, BMC official falls into open manhole

3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jun 24, 2026 04:32 PM IST

As Mayor Ritu Tawde reviewed flood-control measures at Gandhi Market, the civic official accompanying the inspection team fell into an open manhole. (Ai-enhanced screen grab)

A civic official fell into an open manhole during Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde’s inspection of waterlogged areas in Gandhi Market Wednesday, an incident captured on camera and quickly sparking political attacks over the city’s monsoon preparedness.

Heavy rainfall battered Mumbai overnight, with several pockets recording over 200 mm in eight hours, leading to submerged streets and major traffic disruptions across low-lying areas.

As Mayor Ritu Tawde reviewed flood-control measures at Gandhi Market, the civic official accompanying the inspection team fell into an open manhole concealed by accumulated rainwater on the adjoining road. He was rescued within moments by police and other civic staff present at the spot.

“There was an open manhole, and the footpath and the adjoining area were barricaded. The man tried to approach the footpath where the mayor was standing by removing the barricades and fell into the manhole,” a spokesperson of the mayor’s office told the Indian Express.

A civic body official said the man sustained no injuries in the incident.

‘Inaction and corruption’

Meanwhile, as videos and photographs of the incident surfaced on social media, Congress MP from Mumbai Varsha Gaikwad and Kishori Pednekar, Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator and Leader of Opposition in BMC, criticised Tawde.

“Madam Mayor, before telling protesters to come out onto the streets and work, take a look at the citizen who has fallen in a manhole right in front of you. The person has fallen into the hole because of your inaction and corruption. This is not an accident. But your corruption is being caught red handed,” Gaikwad wrote in her post.

महापौर महोदया,

विरोधकांनी रस्त्यावर उतरून काम करावं असं सांगण्यापूर्वी आपल्या समोर खड्ड्यात पडलेल्या त्या नागरिकाकडे एकदा पाहा.

तो माणूस तुमच्या निष्क्रियतेच्या, भ्रष्टाचाराच्या खड्ड्यात पडलेला आहे. हा अपघात नाही, तर तुमचा भ्रष्टाचार रंगेहाथ पकडला गेला आहे. pic.twitter.com/STqxL9uhcT

— Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) June 24, 2026

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Pednekar slammed the civic administration for carrying out incomplete desilting work.

“For more than a decade, the BJP has been in power in the state as well as in BMC; they were in an alliance with us (the undivided Shiv Sena). Major projects like BRIMSTOWAD were carried out to curb waterlogging. Even during the July 2005 floods, Mumbai stood still and here, after the first spell of rains, the city is submerged under water,” Pednekar said.

“The city-wide waterlogging recorded on Wednesday is the direct result of incomplete desilting work. The administration should wake up now and complete the balance work that is remaining,” she added.

Refuting this, Mayor Tawde accused Pednekar of “holding press conferences from home”. “Work doesn’t get done by sitting at home. You have to get wet in the rain. You have to come out. You have to be on the road,” she said.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.

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Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.

Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:

Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.

City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.

Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:

National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.

State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.

Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.

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Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:

Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).

Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.

Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More

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