Mumbai Metro's 'Spit Bin' comes with one awkward question about its own rules

A photo of a touchless spit bin at a Mumbai Metro station has gone viral. The installation has left social media users confused whether 'to spit or not to spit'.

In Short

• Mumbai Metro installs touchless 'Spit Bin' for commuters
• Metro rules still impose Rs 500 fine for spitting
• Social media reacts with confusion and irony

A Mumbai Metro station now has a place for something commuters are usually told not to do in public; spit. The touchless “Spit Bin” has been installed as a designated spot for spitting, but there is one awkward catch: the Metro’s own rules say spitting can attract a Rs 500 fine. Naturally, social media users had questions.

The installation was brought to attention by X user Zoru Bhathena, who shared a photograph of the facility with the caption, “My Mumbai Metro, Now with dedicated Spitting Zones.”

The picture showed a touchless bin at a station operated by Maha Mumbai Metro. Installed above was a sign carrying the logos of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Maha Mumbai Metro, along with the message “Be responsible”.

The facility was described as the “World’s first defined place to spit”, with instructions on how to use it displayed in both Marathi and English. The unit, labelled a “Touchless spit bin”, is designed, so commuters can use it without having to touch the bin.

The bins are the initiative of Ezyspit, a company that develops designated spitting solutions aimed at tackling the problem of public spitting.

See the post:

On paper, the idea appears straightforward: if people are going to spit, give them a designated place to do it instead of letting public spaces bear the consequences. But the Metro’s existing rules make the arrangement rather interesting.

So, to be or not to be? We mean, to spit or not to spit?

According to the offence and penalty specifications listed on the official Mumbai Metro Railway Corporation (MMRC) website, Section 59(1) covers “spitting or nuisance or act of indecency or interfering in any way with the comfort of any passenger of metro railway”.

The listed penalty is a Rs 500 fine, along with forfeiture of the pass or ticket and removal from the carriage.

That detail did not escape social media users.

The photograph quickly attracted a mix of amusement, confusion and criticism. Some users found the designated spit zone to be a practical attempt to deal with a deeply entrenched public habit. Others wondered whether creating a specific place to spit effectively sends commuters a rather mixed message about what is allowed inside Metro premises.

The irony was particularly hard to miss for users who pointed out that a facility asking people to “Be Responsible” appears alongside rules that penalise spitting.

Some were simply baffled by the contradiction: if spitting is an offence in the Metro, why install a dedicated facility for it?

Others took a more pragmatic view, suggesting that if people are unlikely to stop spitting altogether, providing a controlled and hygienic alternative could at least prevent pavements, walls and other public spaces from becoming impromptu spit zones.

Either way, Mumbai Metro may have found a remarkably efficient way to get people talking, without anyone even having to catch a train.

- Ends