From Pride to Concern: Shimla’s Surprising Fall in Cleanliness Rankings
Once celebrated as the “Queen of Hills” and among India’s cleanest cities, Shimla has taken a startling tumble in the latest Swachh Survekshan Survey 2024–2025. The city, which ranked 188th last year, has now slipped to 347th place in the national cleanliness rankings conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The results were announced in a ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, where President Droupadi Murmu honored the top-performing cities. Ahmedabad emerged as the cleanest big city, followed by Bhopal and Lucknow. Meanwhile, Indore, Surat, Navi Mumbai, and Vijayawada were inducted into the newly created “Super Swachh League” for their consistent excellence in cleanliness among cities with over a million residents.
Shimla’s decline has sparked concern among residents and officials alike. Former Mayor Sanjay Chauhan attributed the drop to a severe shortage of sanitation staff, noting that nearly 70% of posts remain vacant. “During the 2015–16 survey, Shimla was ranked 10th. Outsourcing services and the challenges of mechanization in hilly terrain have made things worse,” he said.
Current Mayor Surinder Chauhan expressed disappointment with the ranking, calling it “unfair” and emphasizing that efforts are ongoing to improve the city’s cleanliness.
Interestingly, while Shimla struggled, nearby Theog—a small town in Himachal Pradesh—was recognized as the cleanest town in the state under the “Promising Swachh Shehar” category.
The survey saw participation from nearly 14 crore citizens across 4,500 cities, using platforms like the Swachhata App, MyGov, and social media. The results reflect not just statistics, but the lived experiences of millions who interact with their cities every day.
