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.

After securing the top position in Swachh Survekshan 2025-26, NMMC plans to strengthen waste management, recycling and public participation to maintain its ranking.

The Target

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has set an ambitious target of retaining its position as India’s cleanest city for the next 10 years after securing the first rank in the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

The achievement reflects the city’s waste management system, modern infrastructure, recycling initiatives, contribution of sanitation workers and public participation. Mayor Sujata Patil received the national award from President Droupadi Murmu at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.

NMMC has also retained its seven-star Garbage-Free City rating and Water Plus certification. The civic body reported that 100% of the city’s daily waste is scientifically processed through dedicated wet and dry waste treatment facilities. The city also processes around 260 million litres of sewage daily through seven sewage treatment plants. More than 30% of the treated wastewater is reused for industrial purposes, gardens and construction activities.

To improve waste collection and monitoring, NMMC uses GPS tracking for 246 garbage collection vehicles operating across 291 routes. Digital platforms, including the My NMMC app and WhatsApp chatbot, are also being used to address citizens’ complaints.

Following the achievement, Mayor Sujata Patil, Deputy Mayor Dashrath Bhagat and Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde reviewed the city’s cleanliness initiatives. The civic administration aims to maintain its top position through improved infrastructure, efficient waste management and continued public participation.