Pune’s effort to keep streets spotless with night cleaning is stumbling as mixed waste rises by 20%, clogging disposal efforts. Sanitation workers face safety threats, urging the city to find solutions for cleaner, safer operations
Pune | 25 July, 2025: Pune’s streets, alive with activity by day, are now the focus of a determined night cleaning campaign by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Aiming for spotless mornings, the city has ramped up garbage collection from 9 PM to 6 AM, deploying 1,472 workers and 213 vehicles to gather 200–250 metric tons of waste nightly. While residents appreciate the cleaner roads, a troubling issue has emerged: a 15–20% surge in mixed waste—wet and dry trash jumbled together—making disposal tougher and straining the city’s resources.
The root of the problem lies in timing. Nighttime collection skips the segregation ramps that operate during the day, leaving workers with piles of unsegregated garbage. This bottleneck frustrates PMC’s goal of efficient waste management, as mixed waste complicates processing and burdens landfills. For Pune’s residents, who rely on the city’s sanitation system to keep neighborhoods livable, the rise in mixed waste feels like a step backward in their shared dream of a cleaner, greener city.
The human cost is even more pressing. Sanitation workers, the unsung heroes of Pune’s cleanup, face heightened risks during night shifts. With 30% of the workforce toiling after dark, two reported attacks on staff have raised alarms about their safety. These workers, often from marginalized communities, brave long hours to serve the city, yet their vulnerability highlights the need for better protection. Families of these workers worry about their loved ones’ safety, adding a layer of urgency to the PMC’s challenge.
Pune’s night cleaning drive reflects the city’s ambition to improve urban life, but it’s hitting real-world hurdles. Residents want cleaner streets, but they also want a system that respects workers and manages waste smartly. The PMC is exploring ways to reduce mixed waste, perhaps by extending segregation hours or educating households on proper sorting. Enhancing worker safety, through better lighting, security, or patrols, is equally critical. For now, Pune’s journey to cleaner nights is a work in progress, calling for collaboration between citizens and authorities to protect both the city’s environment and its dedicated workforce.
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