Commuters complain of garbage, unhygienic toilets, encroachments and poor infrastructure despite the city’s cleanest-city ranking, transfer of maintenance responsibilities to Central Railway remains underway.

The Railway

Despite Navi Mumbai being recognised as India’s cleanest city, several railway stations across the city continue to struggle with cleanliness and maintenance issues, causing inconvenience to daily commuters.

Stations at Vashi, Sanpada, Juinagar, Nerul, Seawoods-Darave, Belapur, Kharghar, Airoli, Ghansoli and Koparkhairane have reportedly been facing problems such as improper garbage disposal, unhygienic toilets, poorly maintained footpaths and inadequate lighting. Commuters have also raised concerns over unauthorised hawkers occupying footpaths, forcing pedestrians to walk on busy roads. Unregulated auto-rickshaw parking has further contributed to traffic congestion outside several stations.

In August 2026, the transfer of 17 railway stations developed by CIDCO to Central Railway was completed. However, CIDCO’s existing cleanliness contracts continued until September 30, with Central Railway scheduled to take over the responsibility from October 1. Seawoods-Darave station has also received complaints regarding waterlogging, construction debris, garbage accumulation and poor toilet maintenance. Passengers have expressed concerns over the condition of lifts, footbridges and other facilities.

Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Dr Swapnil Nila said the transfer of cleanliness responsibilities was still underway due to pending contractual and staff-related procedures. He added that some cleaning and repair work had begun and improvements would become visible after the transition was completed. Commuters are expecting authorities to take urgent steps to improve station cleanliness and passenger facilities.

Civic anti-encroachment drive conducted on November 13 following complaints of traffic obstruction and inconvenience to pedestrians.

The Stalls

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) removed five unauthorised commercial stalls along the highway near the flyover at L.P. Circle in Shivajinagar, Nerul, on November 13.

The action was taken following complaints that the stalls were obstructing vehicular movement and causing inconvenience to pedestrians.

The drive was conducted on the instructions of Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde and under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner Sukhdev Yedve of the Encroachment Department. Nerul Administrative Officer Chanda Gaikwad led the operation. The civic administration deployed eight labourers, two Hydra cranes, two dumpers and a trailer to carry out the removal work.

Officials and staff from the Nerul Encroachment Department, along with security personnel and local police, assisted in the operation to ensure that the drive was conducted smoothly. The action is part of the civic body’s efforts to remove unauthorised structures from public spaces and ensure smoother traffic movement and safer pedestrian access in the city.

Residents raise safety concerns as several lights remain non-functional for nearly two months, NMMC awaits approval for repair work.

The Lights

A major portion of Central Park in Sector 3, Ghansoli, opposite Ghansoli railway station, has been plunged into darkness due to non-functional streetlights, raising safety concerns among residents.

The 10-acre recreational space attracts several visitors, particularly during weekends. However, residents said several streetlights across the park have remained defunct for nearly two months, leaving large stretches poorly illuminated after sunset.

Social activist Abhijit Patil said nearly half of the park remains in darkness, creating opportunities for anti-social activities and making the premises unsafe for visitors. Sushma Pawar, a Sector 5 resident who regularly visits the park with her children, expressed concern about their safety. She said the lack of lighting could make it difficult to locate a missing child and has made her hesitant to visit the park.

Another resident, Moumita Das, alleged that poorly lit areas have become spots for smoking and other inappropriate activities. She added that women feel uncomfortable walking through the park during evening hours. Residents claimed that despite repeated complaints to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s (NMMC) Electrical Department, no repairs have been carried out.

NMMC Electrical Engineer Moraskar said a proposal for repairing and replacing the defunct lights had been forwarded to senior authorities and approval was awaited. He assured that the work would begin immediately after approval. Residents have urged the civic administration to expedite the process and restore lighting to ensure the safety of women, children and senior citizens.