Camping in the state capital to assess sanitation standards, the Swachhta Survey team inspected several key zones on Saturday, a day after arriving in the city.
On Friday, the team visited wards across four municipal zones to audit sanitation standards. This survey team focuses solely on cleanliness, while teams for the Garbage-Free City and Water Plus assessments are yet to arrive. The entire survey must be completed by March 31, though extensions remain possible.
The team has purportedly completed inspections in zones 6, 18, 19, and 20, prompting municipal authorities to tighten sanitation measures. With the team present, Commissioner Harendra Narayan has directed all health department officials to stay on the ground, personally monitoring cleanliness efforts throughout the city.
To maintain sanitation, municipal staff have been stationed near drains to prevent waste disposal. The survey team is cross-verifying municipal claims, comparing official documents and photos with on-ground reality. A subsequent team will conduct street-level inspections across the city and gather public feedback.
Responding to queries about the survey, Additional Commissioner Devendra Singh Chouhan, in charge of Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s sanitation department, confirmed that a six-member survey team is in the city but stopped short of providing further details.
"The team follows instructions received through their software, which determines which areas they visit. During inspections, no municipal corporation officials accompany them," he said, adding that the team will inspect all points listed in the city’s profile, whether commercial or residential.
The team’s findings are critical for ranking the cleanest cities in the country. In the previous annual audit, the state capital ranked fifth. However, this year, the civic body is aiming for a significant improvement in its rating.
