Mumbai: Throughout the inclement weather this past week, there were essential and non essential services that did not shut down despite the torrential three-day downpour, thanks to a diligent anonymous workforce.
Milk and newspaper vendors braved early morning deadlines and knee deep floods. BMC staff, railway, transport, fire brigade, bank and medical workers, vegetable vendors, grocers, food delivery apps, gig workers, all fulfilled their duty despite flooded streets and stalled trains.
Jayen Mehta, MD of India's largest dairy Amul, said milk collection and supply was not disrupted. He said, "Our despatches happened on time and all plants are working well." Gokul MD Yogesh Godbole echoed his words, saying they managed all tasks.
Readers in Mumbai and MMR region got fresh copies of the newspaper in their homes only due to vendors who overcame last mile delivery challenges. Even as some localities like Andheri West, Dadar and Vasai-Virar were inundated with waist high water, it was the vendors' spirit or ‘Jazbaa' that shone through.
Shivpujan Yadav, a newspaper vendor from Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri, said, "Three out of 12 delivery boys did not come to work during heavy rain days because their parents disallowed them. But I requested the other nine to deliver papers to two-three societies more than their usual quota, and they dutifully pitched in. We did not miss a single home."
Another vendor had to personally take over the task on his bike, which stalled in flood waters. In Vasai Virar, vendors balanced plastic-wrapped bunches of newspapers on their heads and waded through waist deep water.
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