Overview
- A local content creator identified as 27-year-old Shadab Momin donned a Spider-Man costume to direct traffic, warn motorists about hidden potholes, push stranded two- and four-wheelers, and carry children across flooded stretches on Monday.
- Heavy monsoon rain left large areas of Bhiwandi and parts of Thane waterlogged, with murky floodwater concealing deep potholes that caused vehicles to lose balance and become stuck.
- Video clips of Momin’s actions quickly went viral, earning lakhs of views while he said his goal was to help residents and to draw attention to roads that flood despite annual spending on repairs and drain desilting.
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation deployed about 15,000 officials, issued safety advisories, and local authorities arranged school closures and work-from-home guidance as rescue teams continued operations.
- Public reaction has ranged from praise for the on-the-ground help to questions about social-media motives, and the episode has renewed scrutiny of municipal preparedness with no immediate fixes to the underlying infrastructure problems.