PCMC night-time street cleaning drive delivers sweeping results

PCMC has stepped up night-time cleaning operations on major roads, achieving noticeable improvements in cleanliness without disrupting daily traffic or routine activities, officials said

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has stepped up night-time cleaning operations on the city’s major roads, achieving noticeable improvements in cleanliness without disrupting daily traffic or routine activities, officials said.

PCMC has stepped up night-time cleaning operations on major roads, achieving noticeable improvements in cleanliness without disrupting daily traffic or routine activities, officials said. (HT)

Initiated on November 24, 2025, by the civic body’s Health Department, the drive targets late-night hours when roads are relatively empty. It involves systematic waste collection, mechanised street sweeping, removal of accumulated debris along road edges, and dust clearance—leaving streets cleaner and more orderly by morning, the department said in a statement on Saturday.

The programme is being implemented under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar and Additional Commissioner Vijaykumar Khorate, and is supervised by Deputy Commissioner Dr Pradip Thengal and Assistant Commissioner Amit Pandit. The combination of modern mechanised equipment and trained sanitation teams has significantly boosted efficiency and the overall impact of operations.

Officials noted that, on average, around 25 tonnes of waste are collected daily through the initiative. Several major arterial roads, commercial zones, and key junctions have recorded noticeable improvements in cleanliness. With reduced traffic at night, mechanised sweepers and cleaning vehicles can operate more effectively, ensuring deeper and more consistent cleaning.

Amit Pandit, assistant commissioner, PCMC, said, “Earlier, roads were cleaned in the morning, coinciding with peak hours when citizens were leaving for work, offices, and colleges. Streets often appeared dirty, creating a poor impression of the city and the civic body’s efforts. With night-time cleaning, residents now begin their day seeing clean and hygienic roads across the city.”

PCMC officials emphasised that careful planning, dedicated manpower, and advanced machinery have been key to the drive’s success. The civic body also reminded citizens that urban cleanliness is a shared responsibility and urged them to segregate waste at source and hand it over to municipal collection vehicles, cooperating actively with the city’s cleanliness initiatives.