The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has achieved a significant national milestone by becoming the only urban local body in India to win two National Excellence Gold Awards for green energy and energy efficiency initiatives. The civic body was recognised for its large-scale implementation of energy-efficient street lighting and the development of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
The awards were presented on February 4 at the 14th Green Energy Summit and the 6th Green Energy and Energy Efficiency Awards ceremony, held at Le Meridien, New Delhi. The event was jointly organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Deloitte, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and energy experts from across the country.
NMMC’s Executive Engineer (Electrical), Praveen Gade, accepted the awards on behalf of the corporation, in the presence of Deputy Engineer Santosh Moraskar. The recognition highlights NMMC’s installation of 51,339 energy-efficient streetlights across the city, including 50,722 LED lights and 617 solar-powered streetlights. In addition, the corporation has set up 56 operational EV charging stations, with 14 more currently under development.
According to officials, these initiatives have resulted in energy savings of approximately 9,125 MWh, while also supporting the adoption of renewable energy across public buildings and infrastructure. Navi Mumbai, a planned urban centre with a population of around 18.5 lakh, manages an estimated power demand of nearly 95 MW.
The selection process involved a rigorous two-stage evaluation conducted under the guidance of senior energy sector experts. The first stage assessed measurable parameters such as energy savings, renewable energy adoption, greenhouse gas emission reduction, investment levels and return on investment, accounting for 75% of the total score. The second stage focused on innovation, strategic planning, implementation and long-term sustainability impact.
The jury was chaired by Anil Razdan, former Secretary, Ministry of Power, Government of India, and included several eminent former regulators and sector specialists.
Reacting to the achievement, Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde said, “These two national gold awards are a testament to Navi Mumbai’s focused green energy policy, energy-efficient implementation and our commitment to building a climate-resilient and planet-positive city. This achievement belongs to the citizens of Navi Mumbai.”
Source: The Free Press Journal
