Chandigarh Secures 2nd Spot in Swachh Survekshan 2024 for Mid-Sized Cities
In a major achievement, Chandigarh has been declared the second cleanest city in India in the 3–10 lakh population category at the Swachh Survekshan 2024 Awards, organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The awards ceremony, held in New Delhi, saw President Droupadi Murmu present the honor to Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria and Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla.
Governor Kataria expressed pride in the city’s accomplishment, calling it a reflection of the collective commitment of Chandigarh’s citizens toward cleanliness. He emphasized that the spirit of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is now deeply embedded in people’s daily routines and cultural values (sanskar). He also highlighted how Swachh Survekshan has encouraged youth participation, green jobs, SHG involvement, school campaigns, waste segregation, zero-waste societies, and innovative cleanliness models.
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Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla noted that the award underlines Chandigarh’s continued leadership in urban sanitation and sustainability. She credited the city's residents for their consistent efforts, without which this milestone would not have been possible. Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar acknowledged the contributions of previous leaderships and the strong foundation laid over the years that have led to this sustained progress in cleanliness and urban innovation.
Swachh Survekshan 2024 evaluated over 4,500 cities across ten parameters and 54 indicators, focusing on aspects like waste management, sanitation infrastructure, beautification, ODF (Open Defecation Free) status, Garbage-Free City ratings, and Water Plus certification. Among cities with populations between 3 to 10 lakh: Noida secured the top spot, Chandigarh came in second, Mysuru followed in third place. A record 14 crore citizens participated in this year’s survey via on-ground activities, the Swachhata App, MyGov platform, and social media, reflecting the growing public ownership of the cleanliness mission.
