The New Delhi Municipal Council has retained the No. 2 position in the Clean City category for urban local bodies serving populations of 50,000 to 3 lakh in the 10th edition of Swachh Survekshan 2025-26, with Dewas in Madhya Pradesh taking the top position.
The ranking places NDMC among India’s leading civic bodies for urban sanitation and waste management. The council said maintaining cleanliness is particularly demanding in its jurisdiction because it includes high-footfall public, commercial and heritage areas that remain active throughout the day.
NDMC vice-chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal said the council’s area covers central government offices, foreign embassies, diplomatic missions, historical and heritage sites, commercial centres, prominent markets and major tourist destinations. India Gate, Kartavya Path, Connaught Place, Chanakyapuri, Janpath, Khan Market and Sarojini Nagar receive thousands of visitors, office-goers, shoppers, residents and tourists each day.
“The heavy footfall and continuous public activities make it a major responsibility to ensure uninterrupted cleanliness throughout the day,” Chahal said. He added that the council was using modern technology, efficient management and the work of its sanitation staff to maintain standards across these locations.
NDMC chairman Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said the council’s objective was not limited to securing high positions in cleanliness surveys. He said the focus was also on providing a clean, healthy and improved urban environment for residents and visitors, with scientific waste management, innovation, modern sanitation practices and citizen participation forming part of the council’s approach.
The council has also given priority to night-time cleaning operations. According to Chahal, advanced equipment and technology are being used to reduce disruption to daytime traffic and commercial activity while ensuring that roads, footpaths and public spaces are cleaned before the start of each morning’s activity.
NDMC currently processes around 300 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily against an available capacity of 509 tonnes. Eight micro material recovery facilities and a network of reduce, reuse and recycle centres contribute to waste segregation and processing within the council’s area.
The council is additionally promoting “Anupam Colonies”, model zero-waste neighbourhoods intended to encourage local waste management. Nine colonies, including Bharti Nagar and DID2 Chanakyapuri, have already been declared Anupam Colonies. NDMC officials said the council was working with resident welfare associations to process horticulture and wet waste within colonies, reducing the quantity transported for centralised processing.
NDMC was included in the Super Swachh League City category in Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 after three years of sustained performance in cleanliness and waste management. It was among 23 cities recognised that year for sanitation, waste management and green initiatives. The council was also recognised as India’s Cleanest Capital in 2020-21, Cleanest Small City in the 1 lakh-3 lakh population category in 2022-23 and Cleanest Union Territory in 2023-24.
