Chennai's Cleanliness Slips: Swachh Survekshan 2026 Underway

Chennai is currently being evaluated as part of the Swachh Survekshan 2026, an annual cleanliness survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The city's performance in recent years has been a concern, with its ranking dropping from fifth in 2023 to 104 in 2024, and then to 38th last year.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is undertaking numerous initiatives to improve sanitation and hygiene before the Central Government's survey team visits between mid-February and March. New indicators for this edition focus on visible cleanliness, waste segregation, processing, dumpsite remediation, wastewater treatment, and reuse.

Recent efforts by GCC include a door-to-door collection drive for bulky waste and the launch of 'Kuppai Thiruvizha.' Additionally, 1,250 compactor bins have been ordered, and public toilets have been privatized to enhance hygiene. GCC is actively documenting sustainability efforts by residents and associations.

Citizen feedback is a critical component of the survey, with increased weightage and year-round collection through digital platforms. However, Chennai's poor resident participation has historically impacted its scores. The effectiveness of the grievance redressal mechanism also contributes to the overall assessment, with an independent agency verifying data through geo-tagged interactions.