Bhopal/New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Indore, long regarded as India’s cleanest city, suffered a major setback in the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26 results announced on Wednesday. The city failed to secure a place in the top three of the ‘Clean City League’ category, ending its long winning streak at the national level.
President Droupadi Murmu conferred national awards upon the cities Gwalior, Jabalpur, Rewa, Ujjain, Sagar, Dewas, Budhni, and Depalpur—all located in the state—at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Indore, however, figured among the super league.
Navi Mumbai claimed the first position in the Clean City League, followed by Surat in second place and Vijayawada in third. Indore, which had consistently topped the rankings for several years, dropped out of the podium positions.
Indore and its mentor city Depalpur jointly secured the second place in the ‘Clean City Pair’ category, also referred to as the ‘Super Swachh Jodi’ award.
The national awards ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. This year’s survey evaluated 4,909 cities across the country on 43 parameters, including door-to-door waste collection, segregation of wet and dry waste, transportation of garbage, cleanliness of public spaces, sanitation facilities, and citizen feedback.
Madhya Pradesh performed strongly overall, with nine urban local bodies receiving national recognition. Jabalpur emerged as a standout performer, securing the second position among cities with a population of over 10 lakh.
Visakhapatnam ranked first and Lucknow third in this category.
Gwalior also found a place among the top 10 cleanest cities in the country. In the smaller-city categories, Ujjain topped the list of cities with a population of up to three lakh, while Dewas claimed the first rank among cities with a population of up to one lakh. Both cities were praised for their sustained efforts in sanitation and waste management.
In contrast, the state capital Bhopal failed to win any award this year. Berasia, the municipal council mentored by Bhopal, also went without recognition. Officials noted that the legacy waste dump at Adampur and ongoing challenges in waste management continue to affect Bhopal’s performance.
In the previous ranking, Bhopal had been adjudged the second cleanest city in India. While Indore’s slip from the top ranks has drawn attention, the overall performance of Madhya Pradesh’s cities reflects continued focus on urban sanitation.
The results highlight both the progress made by several cities and the areas where sustained improvement is still required.
Recently a strike observed by sanitation workers crippled normal life to press for their demands of better salaries, regularisation of jobs and other facilities. The strike was later called off after a meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
–IANS
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