In a sweeping move towards civic transformation, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is set to roll out a comprehensive cleanliness campaign titled ‘Shramdan’ from Monday. The initiative will mobilise thousands of municipal workers and the broader public for a citywide cleanliness and beautification effort, while simultaneously launching a targeted rejuvenation project for the deteriorating lake at Nehru Park.
Shramdan: One hour for a cleaner city
As part of the new campaign, all NDMC employees across 14 sanitation circles will dedicate one hour daily, from 8 to 9 am, to cleaning activities. NDMC Chairman Keshav Chandra described the effort as a “citywide transformation,” calling on every citizen to participate alongside the civic workforce. “With every employee giving just one hour a day and nodal officers coordinating effectively, the change will be visible, impactful, and lasting,” Chandra said.
Fourteen Heads of Departments have been appointed as nodal officers, each responsible for managing operations in one sanitation circle. They will oversee field activity, deploy staff, and ensure daily compliance and reporting.
To support the initiative, NDMC has procured 1,400 brooms, 600 kg of garbage bags, 5,000 gloves, caps, and ID badges, along with 200 awareness banners and placards.
Expanded scope and strict enforcement
The campaign’s scope includes cleaning parks, schools, public buildings, underpasses, and places of worship. Additional work will cover pruning trees, repainting infrastructure, repairing footpaths, clearing stormwater drains, and debris removal.
A strict zero-tolerance policy will be enforced for violations such as the presence of unauthorized vendors, single-use plastic, and non-segregated waste. CCTV surveillance and ground inspections will support enforcement, with violators facing fines and FIRs.
Lake cleanup at Nehru Park
Parallel to ‘Shramdan’, NDMC has initiated a major eight-month rejuvenation project for the Nehru Park lake, which has suffered from algal bloom and poor water quality. A tender has been floated to appoint an agency to handle bio-remediation, algae filtration, and oxygenation treatments.
The treatment plan includes regular debris removal, aquatic plant maintenance, and the application of 40 litres of natural algaecide, 80 litres of bio-catalyst concentrate, and 250 kg of oxygen-enhancing compounds. Aeration machines and monthly treatments aim to restore the 5,000 sq. m waterbody, which was last treated in August 2024.
Community participation urged
NDMC is encouraging residents, RWAs, trader associations, students, and civic groups to take an active part in both cleanliness and awareness activities. Educational programs on waste segregation and civic hygiene will also form a core component of the campaign.
With both projects running in tandem, NDMC aims to set a new benchmark for urban maintenance and community-driven environmental stewardship in the heart of the capital.
