MUMBAI: A civic staffer fell into a water channel in the Gandhi Market area of King Circle on Wednesday morning while Mubai Mayor Ritu Tawde was inspecting the site in the aftermath of extremely heavy overnight rains that had left the stretch waterlogged and disrupted traffic for nearly six hours.The staffer, identified as a mukkadam from the BMC’s F North ward, was immediately pulled out and did not suffer serious injuries, officials said.

The incident saw an immediate political backlash, with Congress city president and MP Varsha Gaikwad taking a sharp dig at the mayor. “That man has fallen into the pothole of your inaction and corruption. This is not an accident, but your corruption has been caught red-handed,” Gaikwad said, criticising the civic administration during the inspection.The BMC mayor’s office, however, said the situation was under control and that the staffer was rescued immediately after the fall.

Gandhi Market, a known low-lying flood-prone pocket, had been severely impacted by the overnight downpour. BMC had, in the year 2022, commissioned an underground mini pumping station at the site, which became operational this monsoon. The system channels excess rainwater into an underground inlet chamber before pumping it out via a stormwater drain line to the Bharat Nagar nullah near King’s Circle.The project, executed at a cost of ₹19 crore, includes operational expenses spread over four years.