Noida is implementing a series of measures to enhance its national ranking in the 10th edition of the Swachh Survekshan (SS) programme. Beautification and repair drives are being carried out across the city as part of this initiative.
Beautification and Infrastructure Upgrades
The Noida Authority has commissioned new wall paintings and ordered the repair of roads, pavements, and public toilets. "We are also planning to hold stakeholder meetings before undertaking these drives," said SP Singh, general manager of the civic body. Additionally, the Authority has planned to conduct cleaning and desilting of drains in various sectors and install side barriers on the service lanes of the Noida Expressway.
Mentoring Bithoor Under Clean City Pair Initiative
Noida is also working on improving the ranking of Bithoor Nagar Panchayat of Kanpur under the Swachh Shehar Jodi (Clean City Pair) initiative. Under this scheme, larger mentor cities are linked to smaller mentee cities to share experiences, build capacity, improve solid waste management, and strengthen urban cleanliness services. Bithoor was linked to Noida last year.
Swachh Survekshan Evaluation Parameters
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the Swachh Survekshan toolkit in December last year. According to the toolkit, cities are judged on how garbage-free they are, water cleanliness, ease of waste segregation, collection and transportation, access to sanitation, and citizen grievance redressal, among other parameters. Urban local bodies (ULBs) must submit monthly details on the Swachhta portal, after which government agencies conduct field assessments and allot marks. There is also a penalty provision for each indicator in case of a mismatch between the ULB's claims and the field assessment.
Super Swachh League Recognition
The government also introduced the Super Swachh League (SSL), honouring top cities that consistently achieved the top three spots in the country over the past three years. This league celebrates sustained excellence and sets a benchmark for all cities aspiring to transform their urban landscape. Unlike traditional rankings, there is no hierarchy among the cities in the SSL.
Noida's Steady Improvement in Rankings
Over the years, Noida has steadily improved its position in the cleanliness survey. From being ranked 324th in 2018 in the 3-10 lakh population category, it climbed to 150th in 2019, 25th in 2020, 4th in 2021, and 5th in 2022. In 2023, the city was declared the cleanest in Uttar Pradesh and secured the 2nd rank among 342 cities with a population of 3-10 lakh. Nationally, it was placed 14th out of 446 cities in the 1-10 lakh population bracket. In 2024-25, Noida made it to the Super Swachh League among 23 cities.
