New Delhi: The New Delhi Municipal Council’s flagship initiative, Dilli Ko Koode Se Azaadi, launched ahead of Independence Day, has witnessed an impressive response with over 400 Swachhata events held across the NDMC area till August 15.
Envisioned as a mass movement to instil civic responsibility and promote sustainable waste management, the campaign has mobilised schools, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Market Traders’ Associations (MTAs), and citizens in large numbers.
The initiative began at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Place and has since expanded into 138 schools, 12 market hubs, 15 JJ clusters, and 62 horticulture locations, while office-level cleanliness drives were conducted in 23 departments.
Public enthusiasm was evident in the overwhelming response to the ‘Selfie Sang Sankalp’ drive, which drew more than 11,000 signatures, alongside the Swachhata pledge taken by over 13,800 citizens.
Importantly, the campaign has yielded measurable gains, with municipal solid waste processing rising from 325 tonnes per day in July to 348 tonnes in August a 7 per cent increase attributed to greater awareness and improved source segregation.
Senior leaders, including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, lent support by participating in Tiranga Yatras and awareness rallies. Two colonies Bharti Nagar and Satya Sadan in Chanakyapuri were declared Anupam Colonies, model zero-waste neighbourhoods under NDMC’s sustainability vision.
Further strengthening the effort, decentralised Micro Material Recovery Facilities (MMRFs) have been set up at locations including Connaught Place, Khan Market, and Malcha Marg, each specialising in a particular waste stream such as plastics, textiles, or e-waste. Sanitation workers are also undergoing structured training and health check-ups to enhance
occupational safety.
Describing the initiative, the NDMC Chairman remarked that the campaign was “not merely a cleanliness drive but a call for sustained civic behaviour.”
With expanded awareness programmes, market-level interventions, and night sweeping operations underway, the Council aims to embed cleanliness as a civic habit, setting a benchmark for
sustainable urban management in the capital.