Patna: The Patna municipal corporation (PMC), along with urban local bodies across India, has begun preparations for the latest round of the national cleanliness survey, with citizen feedback portals now live and field assessments already under way.
Residents are being encouraged to submit their responses through an online portal, answering a set of 13 questions focused on sanitation, waste management and civic services in their cities. The field assessment phase began on April 26, while evaluation for Garbage Free City (GFC) and Open Defecation Free (ODF) certifications is expected to start later in May.
This year’s theme, “Swachhta ki nai pehal – badhayein haath, karein safai saath” (a new initiative for cleanliness through collective action), underscores a push for greater public participation.
Push to improve ranking
PMC is aiming to improve on last year’s performance, when the city ranked 21st among 44 cities with populations above 10 lakh. It also secured fourth place among cities located along the Ganga River and earned a three-star GFC rating.
In the 2024–25 survey cycle, the focus was on the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” (RRR) theme, with the civic body rolling out several initiatives aimed at strengthening waste management systems and improving sanitation infrastructure.
Authorities introduced facilities such as pink toilets, “loo cafés”, potable water kiosks under “Nagar Nigam Neer”, and specialised manhole ambulance vehicles. Waste collection systems were also expanded, with officials expressing confidence that these measures will help improve the city’s ranking this year.
Monitoring and certification efforts
As part of the ongoing survey, the condition of 53 public toilets is being closely monitored by the r assessment teams. These are spread across various municipal zones, including Patliputra, Nootan Rajdhani, Bankipur, Kankarbagh, Azimabad and Patna City.
Patna has already secured the “Water Plus” status—an advanced level of ODF certification—indicating improved wastewater and sanitation management standards.
Efforts to eliminate garbage dumping points have also intensified. Around 85 such points have been removed this year, following the clearance of nearly 650 sites last year, as part of the city’s push towards becoming garbage-free.
