Rat burrows in Little India fall to zero, but keeping them away still 'a shared responsibility': NEA

Little India has seen success with its pest control efforts bringing the number of rat burrow sightings down to zero recently, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

In a Facebook post on Thursday (June 4), the agency said it did not detect any burrows during the surveillance cycle between March and April, marking progress from the average number of 37 spotted every two months in 2025.

The "encouraging result" was made possible through a combination of active surveillance, stakeholder engagements and enforcement efforts.

"But keeping rats away remains a shared responsibility — it takes everyone playing their part," said NEA, adding that members of the public who spot rodents, signs of rat activity or conditions that can harbour rats should make a report via the OneService app.

Food and beverage outlets are not the only places affected by rats, with one recently seen scurrying around a train carriage on the MRT's East-West Line in May.

Following the incident, SMRT said it launched investigations to confirm there is no wider infestation, and stepped up pest control efforts at stations and depots.

At the same time, the rail operator said it would continue to carry out thorough daily cleaning and sanitisation of trains after service hours.

It also sought commuters' cooperation to not consume food or drinks on public transport such as buses, trains, or within stations as food remnants can attract pests.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com