After the first day of the Coldplay concert on January 18, a total of 5 tonnes of waste was collected by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) from the stadium and surrounding areas. The waste included 3 tonnes of wet waste and 2 tonnes of dry waste, which were left behind by the concert attendees.

Despite the large turnout of more than 75,000 people, NMMC implemented a comprehensive waste management plan to maintain the city’s cleanliness. The concert, held at Nerul, was organized as a ‘Zero Waste Event,’ with waste segregation starting as early as 2 PM, prior to the event. Over 150 volunteers worked diligently to segregate waste within the stadium, with recyclable materials like plastic bottles being collected and sent for recycling through Bisleri.

Once the concert concluded at 10 PM, an intensive cleaning operation was immediately set in motion. Led by Additional Commissioner Sunil Pawar and Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Solid waste management) Dr. Ajay Gadde, the cleaning team, consisting of over 100 sanitation workers, worked through the night to ensure the area was spotless by 3 AM. Main roads surrounding the venue, including the service road from Bhimashankar parking to LP, LP Road to SIES College, and the road from SIES College to Shani Temple, were thoroughly cleaned as part of the deep cleaning campaign.

NMMC Conducts Overnight CleanupWaste collection vehicles were deployed to transport the waste, and litter bins along the roads were cleaned throughout the day. NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar regretted that the audience at the concert that had tickets priced at thousands of rupees did not bother about cleanliness. They ought to have collected their own garbage and disposed of it in the bins, Kumar said and lamented: But who cares for cleanliness! Kharghar-based activist Jyoti Nadkarni pointed out that the crowd at such a concert is supposed to be elite, educated and modern. Their attitude towards garbage is appalling, she said.

"The deep cleaning initiative will continue until January 22, coinciding with the remaining Coldplay concert dates," Dr Gadade said.