January 7, 2026: As part of its ongoing push to enhance air quality and urban hygiene, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) carried out a large-scale cleaning operation on the busy Sion–Panvel Highway on Sunday. The drive targeted the stretch between Vashi and Belapur, focusing on the removal of dust and accumulated soil from road surfaces and pavements—factors that significantly contribute to particulate pollution in high-traffic corridors.
During the operation, hardened layers of soil collected along the edges of roads and footpaths were loosened and removed using mechanical brushing equipment. The debris was gathered and transported for safe disposal. Following this, the cleaned stretches were washed using treated water sprayed through high-pressure jetting machines. This two-step process aims to prevent loose dust from becoming airborne, particularly during dry weather when pollution levels tend to rise.
In addition to the highway, the civic body extended the deep-cleaning exercise to several key internal roads across Navi Mumbai, underlining a citywide approach rather than a limited arterial-road focus. Areas covered included the Sector 17 main road in Koparkhairane, the Reliable Tech Park corridor in Airoli, the stretch from Gajanan Chowk to the Shapoorji Pallonji site in Sector 6, Sanpada, the Juhugaon main road, and internal roads in Shiravane village and Jijamata Nagar in Ghansoli.
The initiative is part of NMMC’s broader dust-pollution control strategy. Alongside mechanical cleaning and washing, specialised NCAP vehicles were deployed to spray treated water in a fine mist, helping suppress dust and reduce suspended particulate matter in the air.
The drive was conducted under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde, with Additional Commissioner Sunil Pawar supervising execution. Coordination was handled by the Solid Waste Management Department, led by Deputy Commissioner Dr Ajay Gadade, Chief Sanitation Officer Ravindra Ingale and sanitation officials. Despite being a public holiday, over 350 officers, employees and sanitation workers participated, reflecting the administration’s sustained commitment to environmental cleanliness and improved living conditions across Navi Mumbai.
