Cities Gear Up for Monsoon: Massive Drain Cleaning and Safety Drives Launched Under SAFAI APNAO, BIMAARI BHAGAO (SABB) Campaign

Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs

Cities Gear Up for Monsoon: Massive Drain Cleaning and Safety Drives Launched Under SAFAI APNAO, BIMAARI BHAGAO (SABB) Campaign

Posted On: 23 JUL 2025 5:33PM by PIB Delhi With the onset of monsoon, cities across India are stepping up their commitment to cleanliness and public st st health under MoHUA led Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao 2025 (1 July- 31 July) campaign. From bustling metros to small towns, urban local bodies are proactively tackling monsoon-related health risks — unclogging drains, clearing garbage hotspots, promoting hand hygiene, and raising awareness in vulnerable areas like slums, schools, and marketplaces. With a strong focus on disease prevention and community participation, the campaign is turning into a nationwide movement that reinforces the power of the ‘6 Swachhata Mantras’ — clean hands, homes, neighbourhoods, toilets, drains, and public spaces. The momentum is building, and India’s cities are rising to the challenge.

To enhance urban safety and sanitation, the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has introduced innovative ‘Manhole Ambulances’ — specially equipped vehicles designed for swift, on-site manhole repairs. Each ambulance carries prefabricated manhole covers, repair tools, and a dedicated response team, ensuring immediate action when needed, especially during rains. PMC has repurposed old and unused municipal vehicles into these fully functional units — building on the success of previous models like Pink Toilets and Loo Cafés. Six such ambulances, one per municipal zone, are now operational and linked to PMC’s central control room, enabling real-time complaint resolution through a citizen-centric grievance redressal system.The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) rolled out a series of impactful initiatives across the city under the mega monsoon campaign. In South Zone, Team Swachh organised a special 3-km ‘Pinkathon’ walkathon led by 400 NCC girl cadets to spread awareness on monsoon hygiene and sanitation. The campaign also saw a surge in on-ground action — with handwashing drives in 255 schools, 206 cleaning drives including back lane and GVP clean-ups, and a massive 469 sanitation drives in community and public toilets (CT/PTs).

While NDMC undertook regular cleaning of clogged drains to mitigate the risk of waterlogging and appealed to citizens to refrain from disposing waste in drains. Additionally, comprehensive vector-borne disease surveillance and fogging operations were conducted within the Parliament premises.

To promote cleanliness and public health during the monsoon, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation

(NMMC), in collaboration with Dnyandeep Seva Mandal High School, Karave, organised a Swachhata rally with the participation of over 600 students, parents, teachers, and citizens. Simultaneously, health awareness camps were held across 26 Urban Primary Health Centres, focusing on malaria and dengue prevention. Over two days, 52 camps were conducted, reaching more than 22,690 citizens. In addition, sanitation workers carried out intensive cleanliness drives at multiple locations across the city.

Telangana undertook a wide range of impactful activities under the Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao 2025’ campaign. From desilting of drains in Korutla and door-to-door awareness drives on waste segregation in Kyathanapally to anti-larvae operations in Armur to curb mosquito-borne diseases, Urban Local Bodies across the State are actively contributing to the ongoing campaign. A massive door-to-door outreach program for waste segregation covered nearly 13 lakh households across Telangana. To address monsoon-related health risks, 14,210 km of stormwater drains and nallahs were desilted, while 4,343 km of roadside bushes were cleared to maintain cleaner public spaces. Furthermore, nearly 2.5 lakh houses were sanitized during intensive anti-dengue and malaria IEC drives, and over 500 overhead water tanks were cleaned to ensure access to safe and hygienic drinking water.

Health camps benefited over 8,500 frontline workers, and 140 composting pits were set up in schools to foster a culture of waste-to-manure conversion among young citizens. In Chhattisgarh’s Pandariya, Self-Help Group members received hands-on training in effective sanitation practices and were introduced to the Swachhata App to enhance community hygiene efforts. The initiative was followed by a cleanliness drive at the SLRM Centre. Whereas Raipur conducted door-to-door awareness drives at various locations, educating students on hand hygiene, clean neighbourhoods, and waste segregation, along with the beautification of GVPs.

From metros to small towns, the Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao 2025 campaign is uniting India’s urban landscape in a shared mission of cleanliness and health during monsoon. **** SK(Release ID: 2147419)