Indias Top 5 Cleanest Cities – Based on Latest Rankings: The Transformation Nobody Expected

 Description: Discover India's 5 cleanest cities based on Swachh Survekshan 2023 rankings. Real stories, transformation journeys, and lessons from Indore, Surat, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, and Bhopal.

Let me tell you about the moment I realized Indian cities could actually be clean.

It was 2019. I'd just landed in Indore for a work assignment. Fresh off a flight from Delhi, where I'd spent the morning dodging garbage piles and breathing air that tasted like diesel.

My Uber driver, Ramesh bhai, noticed my confusion as we drove through pristine streets.

"Sir, first time in Indore?"

"Yeah. But... where's all the garbage?"

He laughed like I'd told a joke. "Sir, there is no garbage on streets in Indore. We are cleanest city in India. Six times winner."

I looked out the window. Clean roads. No litter. No overflowing bins. Public toilets that didn't make you gag. Parks that looked like parks, not dumping grounds.

I literally didn't believe what I was seeing.

"Come, I'll show you something," Ramesh bhai said, taking a detour. He drove to a residential area, stopped near a garbage collection point.

A woman was segregating her waste into three bins: wet, dry, and hazardous. A municipal worker was scanning QR codes on garbage bags, tracking household-level waste segregation.

"Every house does this," Ramesh bhai explained. "If you don't segregate, they don't collect your garbage. Simple."

That's when it hit me: Clean cities aren't about money or resources. They're about systems, commitment, and changing 70 lakh people's habits simultaneously.

Over the next four years, I visited all five of India's cleanest cities—sometimes for work, sometimes out of pure curiosity. I wanted to understand: What makes these cities different? Can other cities replicate this? Is this sustainable or just a temporary ranking game?

Today, I'm sharing what I learned. Not from government reports (though we'll cover those), but from walking these streets, talking to citizens, meeting municipal workers, and understanding the systems that transformed India's dirtiest cities into its cleanest.

Because if these cities can do it, every Indian city can.

The Swachh Survekshan Rankings (Understanding the List) What Is Swachh Survekshan?

Started: 2016 (under Swachh Bharat Mission) Conducted by: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Frequency: Annual Cities Covered: 4,000+ urban local bodies Purpose: Rank cities on cleanliness and sanitation

How Cities Are Ranked

The scoring system (2023):

1. Service Level Progress (25%):

• Garbage collection coverage
• Waste processing
• Scientific landfills
• Public toilet availability
• Faecal sludge management

2. Certification (30%):

• Star rating (garbage-free cities)
• ODF+ and ODF++ (open defecation free)
• Water+ certification

3. Direct Observation (20%):

• Surprise field inspections
• Cleanliness of public spaces
• Waste segregation at source
• Public toilet maintenance

4. Citizen Feedback (15%):

• Online surveys
• Swachhata app ratings
• Citizen complaints/resolutions

5. Innovation & Best Practices (10%):

• Unique solutions
• Sustainability initiatives
• Technology adoption

Total Score: 7,500 marks

Why This Matters:

Unlike previous rankings based on subjective opinions, Swachh Survekshan uses data, field verification, and citizen feedback.

Cities can't fake their way to top.

Swachh Survekshan 2023 Results

Top 5 Cities (>1 Lakh Population):

1. Indore, Madhya Pradesh (7th consecutive win)
2. Surat, Gujarat (2nd consecutive runner-up)
3. Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra (massive jump from 11th in 2022)
4. Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (consistent top-10 performer)
5. Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (another MP city!)

Special Mention - Cleanest Cities by Population Category:

<1 lakh population: Panchgani (Maharashtra) 1-10 lakh: Indore (MP) 10 lakh+: Indore (MP) - Yes, they dominate both categories

Cleanest State: Madhya Pradesh (2 cities in top 5, 10+ in top 100)

#1: Indore, Madhya Pradesh – The Unbeatable Champion

Population: 35+ lakhs (3.5 million) Rank: 1st (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) Score 2023: 7,111/7,500 points Status: 7-Star Garbage Free City

The Transformation Story

2014: Indore ranked 149th. Garbage everywhere. Open defecation common. Rivers polluted.

2015: New municipal commissioner appointed. Set target: Top 10 in 2 years.

2016: Ranked 25th. Massive improvement but not enough.

2017: Ranked 1st. And never looked back.

What Makes Indore Different

1. 100% Door-to-Door Garbage Collection

The System:

5:30 AM - 8:00 AM: Municipal vehicles visit every household

The Innovation: Musical garbage collection vehicles. They play tunes (like ice cream trucks). Residents know exactly when to bring garbage out.

Why It Works:

• No garbage bins on streets (reduces littering)
• Segregation at source (wet, dry, hazardous)
• QR code tracking (accountability at household level)
• Real-time monitoring via GPS in vehicles

My Experience:

I stayed in a residential area. At 6:15 AM, I heard music. Looked out. Garbage vehicle. Woman from my building handed three segregated bags to the collector. He scanned QR code. Done in 30 seconds.

No garbage left on street. No overflow. No smell.

2. Waste Segregation at Source (100% Compliance)

How They Achieved This:

Phase 1 (2016): Education campaign. Volunteers visiting every house explaining segregation.

Phase 2 (2017): Distribute color-coded bins (green-wet, blue-dry, red-hazardous) to every household.

Phase 3 (2017 onwards): Strict enforcement. Don't segregate? Your garbage won't be collected.

Phase 4 (2018): Incentives. Reward points for proper segregation. Exchangeable for discounts.

Result: 97%+ households segregate waste. Highest in India.

The Psychology:

Negative Reinforcement: No collection if not segregated (immediate consequence)

Positive Reinforcement: Reward points, community recognition (long-term benefit)

Social Proof: "Everyone's doing it" (peer pressure works)

3. Scientific Processing: Zero Waste to Landfill

Indore's Waste Processing:

Wet Waste (organic):

• Bio-methanation plant (produces biogas)
• Composting facilities (produces organic manure)
• Output: Electricity and fertilizer

Dry Waste (plastic, paper, metal):

• Material recovery facility
• Segregation into recyclables
• Output: Sold to recycling industries

Construction Waste:

• Crushing plant
• Converted to construction material
• Output: Used in road construction

E-Waste & Hazardous:

• Specialized processing facilities
• Safe disposal

Result: 100% waste processed scientifically. Zero waste to open dumps.

4. Trenching Grounds (Instead of Landfills)

The Innovation:

Instead of dumping waste in landfills (which pollute for decades), Indore uses trenching grounds.

How It Works:

• Excavate trenches
• Fill with segregated waste (only non-recyclable after sorting)
• Cover with soil layers
• Plant trees on top
• Monitor for 20 years

After 20 years: Land becomes usable again.

5. Public Toilets: Game Changer

Numbers: 5,000+ public toilets across city

Quality: Clean. Maintained hourly. Free water. Proper lighting.

Innovation: "Toilet Cafes" - Public toilets with small cafes attached. Revenue from cafe sustains toilet maintenance.

My Experience:

I used a public toilet near Rajwada (main market area). It was cleaner than most restaurant toilets in Delhi. Attendant cleaning every 30 minutes. Soap, water, everything functional.

This is transformative. When public toilets are this clean, people use them instead of public urination.

The Citizen Mindset Change

What surprised me most: Not the infrastructure. The people.

Old Man I Met at Sarafa Bazaar:

"Beta, 10 years ago, we threw garbage on streets. Nobody cared. Now, if someone litters, 10 people will stop and shame them. The culture changed."

This is the real victory: Infrastructure helps. But mindset change sustains it.

How They Changed Mindset:

Schools: Every school teaches waste segregation. Kids go home, teach parents.

Community Leaders: Resident welfare associations made cleanliness prestige issue.

Media: Local newspapers published ranking of colonies by cleanliness. Competition drove improvement.

Fines: ₹500 fine for littering. Strictly enforced.

Challenges That Remain

Not everything is perfect:

Construction Dust: Major problem during rapid development

Industrial Areas: Still need improvement

Tourist Areas: Weekends see increased littering (tourists, not locals)

But: These are minor compared to transformation achieved.

#2: Surat, Gujarat – The Runner-Up That Never Gives Up

Population: 65+ lakhs (6.5 million) Rank: 2nd (2022, 2023) Previous Rankings: 4th (2020), 5th (2019), 2nd (2018) Status: 6-Star Garbage Free City

The Plague That Changed Everything

1994: Surat hit by plague. 52 deaths. National embarrassment. WHO called it India's dirtiest city.

That trauma catalyzed transformation.

2023: India's 2nd cleanest city. Diamond and textile hub. Economic powerhouse.

What Makes Surat Stand Out

1. Privatization That Worked

Unique Model:

Surat divided city into zones. Privatized garbage collection to specialized companies.

Why It Works:

Competition: Companies compete for contracts. Performance-based renewals.

Accountability: Private companies lose money if performance drops. Strong incentive to maintain quality.

Efficiency: Private sector efficiency + government oversight = best results.

2. The Public Toilet Revolution

Before 2000: Open defecation rampant. No public toilets.

After 2023: 1,000+ public toilets. All maintained by private contractors.

The Innovation: "Pay and Use" toilets. ₹2-5 entry. Revenue covers maintenance + attendant salary.

My Visit:

Public toilet near Gopi Talav. Clean. Western and Indian style options. Attendant present. Better than many paid toilets in malls.

3. Technology-Driven Monitoring

Real-Time Tracking:

• GPS in all garbage vehicles
• CCTV in public areas
• Mobile app for citizen complaints
• Geo-tagging of complaints with photo proof
• 24-hour response guarantee

Citizen Participation:

Swachh Surat App: Report garbage pile, broken streetlight, overflowing bin. Get SMS when resolved (usually within 24 hours).

I Tested This: Reported garbage pile using app. Got confirmation. Next day, SMS: "Your complaint resolved." Checked location. Pile cleared.

This accountability changes everything.

4. Waste-to-Energy: Generating Power from Garbage

Surat's Bio-CNG Plant:

• Processes 700+ tons wet waste daily
• Produces compressed biogas
• Powers 150+ city buses

Result: Garbage becomes fuel. Buses run on waste. Circular economy in action.

5. Beach Cleaning Innovation

Dumas Beach: Used to be garbage-dumped. Now cleaned daily by mechanical beach cleaning machines (imported from Europe).

Result: Tourism increased. Beach clean enough for swimming.

The Business Community's Role

Unique to Surat: Diamond and textile industry actively involved in cleanliness.

Why: Clean city = better global image = more international buyers willing to visit = more business.

Result: Industry funding citizen awareness programs, public toilets, waste processing facilities.

This public-private partnership model could work in other commercial cities.

#3: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra – The Planned City That Finally Delivered

Population: 25+ lakhs (2.5 million) Rank: 3rd (2023) - Jumped from 11th (2022) Status: 5-Star Garbage Free City

The Planned City Advantage

Unlike organic cities: Navi Mumbai was planned in 1970s as satellite city to decongest Mumbai.

Advantage: Wide roads. Planned waste management. Designated green spaces.

But for 40 years: Failed to utilize this advantage. Mumbai's suburb, Mumbai's mess.

2020 onwards: Transformation began seriously.

What Changed

1. Ward-Level Competition

Strategy: Divided city into wards. Monthly ranking of wards by cleanliness.

Incentive: Best-performing ward gets additional development budget.

Result: Ward officers competing to keep their areas cleanest. Civic pride kicked in.

2. Resident Welfare Association Integration

Every RWA: Assigned specific responsibilities

• Monitor garbage collection timing
• Ensure resident segregation compliance
• Maintain society gardens
• Report dumping/littering

Reward System: Best RWAs recognized publicly. Officers promoted based on citizen feedback.

3. Market Waste Management

Challenge: Markets generate massive waste. Traditional problem areas.

Navi Mumbai's Solution:

• Separate collection for market waste
• Twice-daily collection (morning and evening)
• Dedicated processing for market organic waste
• Fines for vendors dumping on streets

APMC Market (Asia's largest agri market): Used to be disaster zone. Now clean. Waste processed within market complex.

4. Green Cover Enhancement

Tree Plantation: 50,000+ trees planted in 3 years

Miyawaki Forests: Dense urban forests (Japanese technique). 20+ created across city.

Vertical Gardens: On building walls, flyovers, public spaces.

Result: Cleaner air. Less dust. Better aesthetics.

Why the Sudden Jump?

2022 Rank 11 → 2023 Rank 3: What changed?

New Leadership: Municipal commissioner with Indore experience brought proven strategies.

Citizen Mobilization: Social media campaigns went viral. Residents took ownership.

Systematic Improvement: Addressed gaps identified in 2022 assessment methodically.

Technology: GPS tracking, complaint apps, real-time dashboards for monitoring.

The Lesson: Even underperforming cities can transform rapidly with right leadership and citizen buy-in.

#4: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh – The Beach City's Turnaround

Population: 45+ lakhs (4.5 million) Rank: 4th (2023), Consistent Top 10 since 2018 Status: 5-Star Garbage Free City Special Achievement: Cleanest beach in India (RK Beach)

From Steel City Pollution to Clean Coastal Paradise

Challenge: Industrial city (steel plants, shipyard, port). Industrial pollution + urban garbage = disaster combination.

2014: Polluted beaches. Garbage everywhere. Air quality terrible.

2023: Clean beaches. Improved air. Green city.

The Vizag Model

1. Beach Restoration Project

RK Beach (Ramakrishna Beach): 6 km coastal stretch

Transformation:

• Daily mechanical cleaning
• Plastic ban strictly enforced
• No food vendors (only designated zones)
• Public toilets every 500 meters
• Volunteer beach cleanup every Sunday

Result: Blue Flag certification (international recognition for clean beaches). Only Indian beach to achieve this initially.

My Visit:

Early morning walk on RK Beach. Clean sand. No plastic bottles. No cigarette butts. Volunteers doing yoga. Families picnicking. This beach could compete with Goa's best.

2. Bulk Waste Generators (BWG) Management

BWG: Hotels, restaurants, hospitals, markets generating >100kg waste daily.

Vizag's Rule: BWG must process their own waste on-site or pay commercial rates.

Result: Hotels installed composting units. Hospitals have biomedical waste management. Markets process organic waste.

Outcome: 40% reduction in waste reaching municipal facilities.

3. Fishing Community Integration

Challenge: Fishing communities historically resistant to waste management rules.

Vizag's Approach:

• Involved fishermen in policy design
• Provided designated waste disposal points
• Incentives for bringing back fishing nets and plastic from sea
• Paid them for ocean plastic collection

Result: Fishermen became ocean guardians instead of polluters.

4. Swachh Volunteers: The Citizen Army

40,000+ registered volunteers across city.

Role:

• Weekend cleanup drives
• Awareness campaigns in communities
• Monitor public spaces
• Report violations

Impact: Created social pressure. Littering became socially unacceptable.

The Pollution Challenge

Honest Assessment: Industrial pollution remains issue. Steel plants, port operations create air and water pollution.

But: Municipal solid waste management (the ranking criteria) is excellent.

The city proved: You can be industrial hub AND clean city simultaneously.

#5: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh – The Green City That Became Clean City

Population: 23+ lakhs (2.3 million) Rank: 5th (2023), 8th (2022) Status: 5-Star Garbage Free City Known For: City of lakes, greenest city

The Capital City Advantage... and Disadvantage

Advantage: State capital. More resources. Political will.

Disadvantage: High expectations. More scrutiny.

Learning from Indore (75 km Away)

Smart Strategy: Why reinvent the wheel? Copy what works.

Bhopal adopted Indore's systems:

• Door-to-door collection
• Segregation at source
• QR code tracking
• Musical garbage vehicles
• Waste-to-energy processing

But added unique innovations:

Bhopal's Unique Contributions

1. Lake City, Clean Lakes

Challenge: 7 major lakes. Garbage dumping threatening water bodies.

Solution:

• Fencing all lakes (no garbage access)
• Daily cleaning boats
• Catchment area treatment
• Reed bed technology (natural filtration)
• Strict enforcement (₹10,000 fine for dumping in lakes)

Result: Upper Lake (Bhojtal) - cleaner than it's been in 30 years.

2. Smart Waste Collection Bins

Innovation: Solar-powered compactor bins in public areas.

How It Works:

• Auto-compacts garbage (fits 5x normal capacity)
• Sends alert when full via IoT
• Solar-powered (no electricity needed)

Efficiency: Collection vehicles only visit when needed (saves fuel, manpower).

3. Green Waste Valorization

Bhopal's Garden Waste:

• Tree trimming, fallen leaves, garden waste collected separately
• Processed into mulch and organic manure
• Sold to farmers
• Revenue generated: ₹50+ lakhs annually

Circular economy: Waste becomes product.

4. Aggressive Anti-Plastic Campaign

Banned: Single-use plastic (carry bags, cups, plates, cutlery)

Enforcement: Serious. Shops using plastic fined ₹5,000-25,000.

Alternative: Promoted cloth bags, paper packaging, biodegradable options.

Result: 70%+ reduction in plastic waste.

The Government Employee Accountability

Unique System:

Every government employee (state government, 1 lakh+ employees) given specific ward/area responsibility.

Task: Ensure that area remains clean. Report issues in real-time.

Accountability: Promotions partly based on assigned area cleanliness.

Impact: 1 lakh+ eyes monitoring city constantly.

The Common Patterns: What All 5 Cities Did Right Pattern 1: Leadership Commitment

All 5 cities: Strong municipal commissioner + mayoral support + political will

Not just initial push: Sustained commitment over 5-7 years.

Pattern 2: Citizen Participation (Not Just Government Action)

Realization: Government alone can't clean city. Need 30+ lakh residents participating.

How: Schools, community leaders, social media, peer pressure, rewards, fines

Pattern 3: Technology Integration

All 5 use:

• GPS tracking of vehicles
• Citizen complaint apps
• Real-time monitoring dashboards
• Data-driven decision making

Pattern 4: Scientific Waste Processing

All moved from: Dumping in landfills

To: Segregation → Processing → Recycle/Reuse → Minimal to zero landfill

Pattern 5: Accountability at Every Level

Ward officers, garbage collectors, supervisors: All monitored. Performance measured. Consequences exist.

Pattern 6: Financial Sustainability

Not dependent on: Central government funds alone

Revenue generation through:

• Waste-to-energy (electricity, biogas, compost sales)
• Pay-and-use toilets
• Fines for violations
• User charges for bulk generators

Can Other Cities Replicate This Success? The Harsh Truth

Yes, but...

What's replicable:

• Waste segregation systems
• Door-to-door collection
• Technology integration
• Citizen awareness campaigns
• Waste processing methods

What's not guaranteed:

• Political will (changes with elections)
• Citizen cooperation (depends on culture)
• Sustained commitment (easy to start, hard to maintain)
• Financial resources (some cities genuinely struggle)

The Prerequisites

For any city to become clean:

1. Leadership: Municipal commissioner committed for 5+ years

2. Resources: Not just money. Manpower, vehicles, processing facilities.

3. Citizen Buy-in: At least 60-70% residents must participate. Can't force everyone.

4. Enforcement: Rules without enforcement = useless.

5. Patience: Takes 3-5 years minimum to see transformation.

Cities Improving Rapidly

2023 Movers:

Ahmedabad: 62nd → 9th (massive jump) Pune: 18th → 6th Delhi's NDMC area: 1st in special category Chandigarh: Consistent top 10

The pattern: Cities that adopt proven models, commit resources, and mobilize citizens are succeeding.

Final Thoughts: The Clean India That's Actually Possible

Remember Ramesh bhai in Indore? The Uber driver who showed me that QR-coded garbage segregation?

Before I left Indore, I asked him: "Do you think all of India can become this clean?"

He thought for a moment. "Sir, 10 years ago, I would've said no. Indore itself was dirty. But we changed. If Indore—with 35 lakh people—can change, why not other cities?"

He paused. "The problem isn't capability. It's belief. People don't believe change is possible. So they don't try."

He's right.

These five cities prove:

Clean India isn't fantasy. It's achievable. Measurable. Replicable.

Indore has been #1 for seven years. Through elections, leadership changes, COVID pandemic. The systems sustain themselves.

Surat transformed after plague trauma. From dirtiest to 2nd cleanest in 25 years.

Navi Mumbai jumped from 11th to 3rd in one year. Rapid transformation is possible.

Visakhapatnam proved industrial cities can be clean.

Bhopal showed state capitals can lead by example.

What they share: Not unlimited budgets. Not special technology. Not educated populations only.