27 June,2026 12:48 PM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash Singh
NMMT staff stand outside the locked mobile toilet. Pic/Abhitash Singh
In a classic case of civic apathy wrapped in bureaucratic red tape, a brand new mobile toilet installed at the bustling Panvel Bus Stand a month ago remains locked and entirely unusable, reportedly because local authorities are yet to formally "inaugurate" it. Meanwhile, the essential workers this unit was meant to serve - Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) bus drivers and conductors - are left with no space on the premises to answer nature's call.
During a spot visit to the bus depot, the mobile unit was seen padlocked from the outside. With no other functional restroom available on the immediate premises, transport staff are forced to walk to the nearby Panvel railway station.
Ganesh Shethe, additional commissioner, Panvel Municipal Corporation.
When the ground reality was brought to the attention of the civic body, officials promised swift intervention. "We will be looking into the matter at the earliest and will try to open the mobile toilet facility on a priority basis."
A senior NMMT bus driver
âWe work gruelling shifts, navigate terrible traffic, and face immense stress. When we finally pull into the depot, we want just five minutes to freshen up. Instead, we have to leave our vehicles and sprint to the railway station. It is exhausting and humiliating. What is the point of spending money on this mobile toilet if it just sits there as a showpiece?'
A senior NMMT bus driver
âThey dropped this unit here 30 days ago and just forgot about it. Are they waiting for a local VIP to come and cut a ribbon for a toilet? We are the ones holding our bladders and suffering every single day while the officials sit comfortably in air-conditioned offices.'
An NMMT conductor
âDuring late evening shifts, or when it suddenly rains, walking to the station is a massive hassle. A basic human necessity like a washroom cannot be delayed for a photo op'
