In a remarkable leap, Jammu city has achieved its highest-ever rank in the Swachh Survekshan 2024, securing the 42nd position among cities with populations ranging from 3 to 10 lakh. This is the first time the “City of Temples” has broken into the two-digit club, significantly improving from last year’s rank of 248.

Over the years, Jammu has seen fluctuating performances in the Swachh Bharat cleanliness survey:

From a disappointing 329th rank in 2019, the city’s dramatic improvement reflects a clear focus on cleanliness, civic participation, and administrative reforms.

The turnaround in Jammu’s performance can be largely attributed to Dr. Devansh Yadav, Commissioner of Jammu Municipal Corporation, who has spearheaded strategic initiatives including:

• Digital monitoring of waste collection
• Strict enforcement of sanitation rules
• Community awareness programs
• Real-time reporting systems

Dr. Yadav emphasized that achieving the 42nd rank was a result of dedicated teamwork across departments. “The combined efforts of our officers and staff, along with active citizen participation, have finally paid off,” he said.

Swachh Bharat Survey Highlights for Jammu

According to the detailed findings of the Swachh Survekshan 2024, Jammu demonstrated impressive figures:

• 92% door-to-door garbage collection
• 26% source segregation of wet and dry waste
• 100% cleanliness in residential areas and markets
• 71% success in cleaning water bodies
• 80% cleanliness of public toilets
• 17% improvement in dumping sites

Award for City Moving Towards Cleanliness

Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) was honored with the “City Leading Towards Cleanliness” award at the national Swachh Bharat event. Union Minister Mohan Lal presented the award to Dr. Devansh Yadav, Joint Commissioner Abdul Star, and Health Officer Dr. Vinod Sharma.

🎉 Congratulations to Jammu Municipal Corporation for being honoured with the Promising Swachh Shehar Award under Swachh Survekshan 2024! 🏆@Devansh_IAS @jmcjammu pic.twitter.com/uF35hbzgka

— J&K Housing & Urban Development Department (@JKHUDD1) July 17, 2025

Additionally, Jammu was declared a 3-Star City and an Open Defecation Free (ODF) city. The next goal: to become a 5-Star Clean City.

Challenges That Still Remain

Despite its remarkable progress, Jammu continues to face two critical challenges:

1. Unregulated Dumping Sites

Currently, around 18 unauthorized dumping sites exist across the city, especially in older areas with narrow lanes that restrict the movement of large waste collection vehicles. Areas like Janipur, Circular Road, Gandhinagar, Trikuta Nagar, and Parade continue to struggle with this issue.

Efforts are ongoing to eliminate these sites. Dr. Vinod Sharma said, “We have already cleared many dumping spots, and this year we will work aggressively to shut down the remaining 15-18 sites.”

2. Low Levels of Waste Segregation

Only 26% of residents separate wet and dry waste at the source. This impacts the city’s overall ranking and effectiveness in sustainable waste management. While initiatives have been launched in Bandhrukh and Bhagwati Nagar for separate garbage disposal, citizen participation remains low.

JMC plans to intensify awareness campaigns to promote source segregation, aiming to surpass 50% household compliance before the next survey cycle.

State-Wide Sanitation Achievements in J&K

Beyond Jammu, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Jammu & Kashmir have shown commendable performance:

• 70 ULBs achieved ODF+ (Open Defecation Free Plus) status
• 2 ULBs achieved ODF++ status

These milestones underscore a broader cultural shift towards sanitation, cleanliness, and sustainable living.

Union Ministry Applauds J&K’s Progress

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) conducted an exhaustive field assessment in April and May 2024 to evaluate the cleanliness parameters across India. Jammu’s results were officially announced on July 17, with Commissioner Devansh Yadav receiving the award in New Delhi from the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs.

Read also: Jammu was always beautiful; JMC just started showcasing

Future Goals: From 3-Star to 5-Star City

The mission now is to elevate Jammu to a 5-Star City by:

• Eliminating all remaining dumping sites
• Ensuring 100% source-level segregation of waste
• Encouraging active citizen participation
• Strengthening infrastructure for scientific waste disposal

The administration remains optimistic. “We will continue to improve our services and build a cleaner, greener Jammu. The people of this city deserve the best,” said Dr. Yadav.

Jammu’s stellar performance in Swachh Survekshan 2024 is a testament to the city’s commitment to cleanliness and sustainability. With continued focus on infrastructure development, waste management, and public cooperation, Jammu is well on its way to becoming one of India’s cleanest cities.