New Delhi: Mumbais iconic Marine Drive promenade was awash in a sea of blue as thousands turned up to welcome the Indian cricket team, fresh off their T20 World Cup 2024 win. The vibrant celebration, however, left a less joyful aftermath: heaps of trash, including water bottles and footwear, were strewn across the area. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stepped in to clean up the mess, collecting the refuse in seven vehicles. Photos of the cleanup quickly went viral on social media.Massive Cleanup OperationFollowing the victory parade, the BMC initiated an extensive cleanliness drive throughout the night of Thursday and into Friday. The cleanup effort was in response to the enormous crowd that gathered along Marine Drive to witness the parade. The Indian cricket team, having arrived from New Delhi after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, participated in a celebratory procession that concluded with a felicitation ceremony at the historic Wankhede Stadium.The open bus parade began at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Nariman Point around 7:30 pm and made its way to Wankhede Stadium. Despite the short distance typically covered in five minutes, the parade took over an hour and a half due to the sheer number of fans.🏆 A sea of cricket fans gathered at Marine Drive in Mumbai until late last night to welcome the Indian Cricket Team after their victory in the T20 Cricket World Cup 2024.🧹 After the grand welcome and once the crowd dispersed, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted… pic.twitter.com/JruPxUAfLo— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) July 5, 2024Piles of TrashThe aftermath of the celebration saw Marine Drive littered with piles of trash. The BMC reported collecting a large quantity of food wrappers, water bottles, and an unexpected number of shoes and chappals (slippers). In total, five jeeps were filled with discarded footwear, and two dumpers were used to transport the garbage. The collected items are set to be sent to recycling plants rather than the dumping ground.The cleanup operation began at 11:30 pm on Thursday and concluded by 8 am on Friday. The effort involved 100 staff members from the civic solid waste management department and workers from several NGOs. Thanks to their diligence, Marine Drive was restored to a clean state, ready for morning walkers and exercisers.Security and Safety MeasuresDuring the parade, police deployed a significant number of personnel and implemented extensive security measures to ensure safety between Marine Drive and Wankhede Stadium. Despite these precautions, at least 11 individuals required hospital attention for minor injuries or dizziness caused by the massive crowds along the parade route.
