Ahead of the monsoon season, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has directed authorities at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee market in Vashi to strengthen sanitation, waste disposal and drainage maintenance across the wholesale market complex.
The instructions were issued during a recent joint inspection led by Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde along with senior civic officials and APMC representatives. The inspection focused on sanitation conditions, internal drainage systems and flood-prone zones within the fruit and vegetable market sections.
The APMC market is among Asia’s largest wholesale agricultural hubs and plays a key role in supplying fruits, vegetables and food grains across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
During the review, officials observed that the heavy movement of transport vehicles inside the market was disrupting routine cleaning and garbage collection activities. In response, the commissioner instructed the APMC administration to study vehicle movement patterns over the coming week and develop a structured schedule for loading, unloading and sanitation operations.
Authorities were also directed to increase the frequency of waste collection due to the large volume of organic waste generated daily. Officials noted that spoiled fruits, discarded vegetables and decomposing packaging materials were contributing to foul odour and hygiene concerns, especially during wet weather conditions.
The inspection further examined the drainage network within the market complex. Civic officials ordered accelerated desilting and cleaning of drains and suggested the deployment of municipal suction pumps wherever necessary.
Special attention was given to waterlogging issues near the western gate of the fruit market, a location that frequently witnesses flooding during heavy rainfall. Officials noted that the external road level is higher than portions of the internal market, causing rainwater accumulation.
The civic administration also instructed authorities to improve adjoining drainage channels, clear blocked roadside drains and deploy additional pumping systems during the monsoon if required.
Emphasising the importance of food hygiene, Dr Shinde stated that maintaining sanitation standards at the wholesale market was essential, adding that long-term corrective measures would be discussed further with APMC authorities in upcoming meetings.
Source: Prop News Time
