Mumbai: A unique cleanliness initiative at select Metro stations in Mumbai has sparked a massive online debate.
The Maha Mumbai Metro, with MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) branding, has installed touchless spit bins labelled as the ‘world’s first defined place to spit’ at some of the stations.
The sensor-operated box, placed next to regular waste bins, requires users to wave their hand for the lid to open.
There are instructions in English and Marathi on the unit, encouraging responsible disposal and labelling the setup as a dedicated spitting zone.
Not many may have been aware of the out-of-the-box initiative of Mumbai Metro, but once an individual shared a picture showing a dedicated ‘spit box’, it went viral and triggered a debate around civic sense and responsibility of people at public places.
“My Mumbai Metro. Now with dedicated Spitting Zones,” was how a user named Zoru Bhathena captioned the image of a spit bin shared on X.
My Mumbai Metro
Now with dedicated Spitting Zones pic.twitter.com/o8l8sYcbAu
— Zoru Bhathena (@zoru75) September 27, 2026
The unusual installation prompted mixed reactions from social media users.
Some found the concept innovative and practical as a way of dealing with the issue of public spitting, while others reacted with humour and questioned the idea of creating designated places for spitting inside public spaces.
“Such innovation should have happened long before,” wrote one user.
“India has modern problems hence the first defined place to spit,” joked one person.
“I won’t be surprised if a picture of this same place after a month shows spit all around the bin,” remarked another user.
“Why are they doing this.. what are they encouraging? Seriously, what’s happening around us is beyond any sane person’s understanding,” wondered a netizen.
The criticism didn’t there.
“This is so wrong. There should be no spitting in the first place. I have visited about 112 countries from the super rich to pathetically poor one, but I never found a single person anywhere in the world spitting in public,” expressed one person.
Clearly, you can’t please everyone.