The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) executed an overnight cleanliness and restoration drive at Jantar Mantar on Saturday night, transforming the protest site into its pre-agitation state within hours. The operation began immediately after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) officially called off its month-long protest over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.
By Sunday morning, the area bore no trace of the weeks of demonstrations. Makeshift tents, banners, and slogans that had carpeted the stretch since June were entirely removed. Roads and footpaths were washed using high-pressure jetting machines, and public walls were repainted. Green belts and landscaped areas were restored to their original condition.
Massive Deployment for Swift Cleanup
The NDMC deployed over 500 officers and employees from its Health and Sanitation, Civil Engineering, and Horticulture departments. According to the civic body, nearly 60 metric tonnes of waste were cleared from the site. The operation utilized auto-tippers, heavy trucks, a JCB excavator, and high-pressure jetting machines.
Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal remained at the site through the night to supervise the restoration. Speaking during an inspection on Sunday, he said, “Our teams worked throughout the night to restore the area. The objective was to ensure that roads, public spaces and civic infrastructure were brought back to normal as quickly as possible.”
Traffic and Metro Return to Normal
Traffic, which had been severely disrupted during the protest, returned to normal by Sunday morning. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation announced that all stations across the network, including 18 that were shut down on July 20 during the “Chalo Sansad” march, were reopened for passenger services with both entry and exit fully functional.
During the protest, the area had seen heavy police deployment and road closures, but by Sunday, commuters could move freely without any disruption. Sanitation workers were seen giving finishing touches to the cleaned areas during the day.
Background of the Protest
The month-long agitation at Jantar Mantar was organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, a political group that emerged from student activism. The protest demanded a thorough investigation into the NEET-UG paper leak, which allegedly affected lakhs of medical aspirants. Thousands of students and activists participated, with the “Chalo Sansad” march on July 20 drawing massive crowds and leading to a severe security clampdown in central Delhi.
The restoration drive was launched immediately after the protesters vacated the site on Saturday evening. Chahal emphasized that the quick action was aimed at minimizing public inconvenience. “The entire protest site had been cleaned before any subsequent symbolic clean-up activity took place,” he added.
