Poor Maintenance of Vashi’s Mini Seashore Sparks Resident Outrage
Even as the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) continues its citywide cleanliness efforts, residents of Vashi’s Mini Seashore are raising concerns over the deteriorating state of the beloved waterfront. Despite being a popular morning and evening retreat, the area remains plagued by poor maintenance, unclean water bodies, and neglected infrastructure.
Vashi’s Mini Seashore has long been a go-to spot for joggers, families, and nature lovers, but its condition has worsened over the years. Residents report garbage floating in holding ponds, withering trees, loose pavements, and broken benches, making the area unsafe and unpleasant. A former corporator and regular morning walker expressed frustration over the lack of upkeep “Despite a partial bridge collapse in 2019 that led to the suspension of two NMMC engineers, nothing has changed. The area remains dirty, with no significant maintenance work post-COVID.”
Apart from its visual deterioration, residents fear the growing environmental and health hazards. Stagnant water has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, while the falling concrete and loose pavement stones pose a tripping hazard. A local jewellery maker, who has been visiting Mini Seashore for 25 years, voiced his concerns “The dirty water, mosquitoes, and broken surroundings are a threat. The area is always crowded with families and children, yet maintenance is completely neglected. The corporation must take urgent action.”
Community-driven cleanup efforts, led by mangrove activists, have attempted to address the issue, but residents insist that sustainable solutions and municipal intervention are needed. Key demands include cleaning and deepening the pond to prevent stagnation, repairing loose pavements to prevent minor accidents, upgrading shaded areas and benches for visitor comfort, and launching beautification efforts to restore the area’s aesthetic appeal. Despite Vashi’s Mini Seashore being a popular public space, the lack of maintenance has left it in a state of disrepair. With residents growing increasingly vocal, the pressure is now on the NMMC to prioritise urgent restoration and beautification efforts before the situation worsens.
