Kanta Murti, a 50-year-old woman from Mumbai, made the headlines after she had stood for 7 hours, guarding a manhole during the recent Mumbai rains to make sure that no one fell in. She is a pavement dweller from Matunga, who, upon realising that the water levels were crossing dangerous mark in Tulsi Pipe Road, uncovered the manhole to drain out the water. She then went on to guard the manhole for 7 hours to warn the motorists and vehicles about the open manhole. She had guarded it until the Bombay Metropolitan Corporation (BMC) authorities arrived. Notably, this woman had lost her tent and savings due to these very rains.
Kanta had, along with her fellow footpath dwellers, spent an anxious night on August 3 as the water continued to touch alarming levels. By next morning, the road and the footpath were deluged in more than 3 ft of water. Anxious about the raising levels, she had stood guard after unclogging the manhole. This video went viral on the internet, gaining her fame and appreciation for this selfless act.
Speaking to the media, Kanta said, “I wrenched open the manhole drain water & stood there to warn vehicles. BMC officials came later and chided me for it.”
Kanta is the sole breadwinner of the family and makes a living out of selling flowers. She lives on the footpath with her five kids and husband, who is differently-abled after being paralysed in a tragic railway accident.
I sell flowers to make a living and support my 3 children's education. My 5 other kids are married and I am the only earning member in the family. My husband is handicapped after being paralysed from a railway accident: Kanta Murti #Mumbai https://t.co/zeB8UZoATG pic.twitter.com/Pe6oq1QNNA
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020