Indore's Remarkable Surge to the Top of Cleanliness Rankings
Who would have thought that Indore, once languishing far down the list, would suddenly step into the national limelight as India's cleanest city? The 2017 Swachh Survekshan survey, an extensive assessment conducted by the Union Urban Development Ministry, has handed Indore (Madhya Pradesh) a badge of honor that no one can ignore. It wasn’t always this way—back in 2014, Indore sat at a dismal 149th spot. In just a few years, the city has made huge strides, claiming the number one position in a list of 434 urban locations across India.
Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, wasn’t far behind either. It jumped to the second place, giving the state government a reason to celebrate and critics a lot to think about. Both cities have pushed ahead with aggressive cleanliness drives, new waste management strategies, and non-stop public campaigns encouraging everyone—from shopkeepers and students to auto-rickshaw drivers—to get on board with the vision for a cleaner India.
How the Rankings Were Decided
The 2017 assessment wasn’t just about shining streets or colourful garbage bins. The government focused on two things: solid waste management and citizen feedback. These made up a whopping 70% of the marks. It wasn’t enough for a city to hire more sweepers or set up a few recycling plants. True change needed ordinary people to step in—sorting their waste, reporting problems, and holding their local leaders accountable. When citizens in Indore and Bhopal saw that their voices actually counted in the rankings, participation shot up and public pride soared.
A closer look at the Swachh Survekshan numbers reveals how tough the competition was. Cities like Vadodara (10th) and Tirupati (9th) showed up strong in the top ten, though only Indore and Bhopal represented Madhya Pradesh at these heights. The rigorous evaluation covered everything from door-to-door garbage collection to how a city's landfill was managed. If a city tried to game the system by hiding uncollected trash or fudging numbers, feedback from residents helped set the record straight.
Announcing the results, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu put it plainly—the only way to meet the Swachh Bharat Mission’s ambitious targets by 2019 is with everyone pulling together. This isn’t just about government policies. People have to care, pay attention, and make daily choices that help their cities stay clean. The survey is more than a scoreboard; it’s a call to action for every Indian city still trailing behind to catch up fast.
The annual Swachh Survekshan survey has turned cleanliness and sanitation into a point of local pride and fierce competition. Cities may be jostling for that number one spot, but in the end, everyone wins when waste is managed better and streets are cleaner. This year, it’s Indore and Bhopal showing what’s possible—and the rest of India is taking notes.
