Bengaluru ranked 5th among India’s ‘Dirtiest Cities’ in Swachh Survekshan 2025

Bengaluru, often celebrated as the technology hub of India, has suffered a major blow to its urban image by being ranked the fifth dirtiest city in the country among metros with over one million residents. This finding comes from the Swachh Survekshan 2025 survey, conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

Also Read:Bengaluru: BMRCL faces flak over tender to hire metro drivers on contract basis

The dismal ranking comes at a time when the Karnataka government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is aggressively pushing infrastructure and development projects in the capital. However, the city’s poor waste management and sanitation indicators appear to have overshadowed these efforts. Other cities have fared far better, Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai were recognised as part of the elite “Super Swachh League” for maintaining exceptional cleanliness standards.

Meanwhile, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow were crowned India’s cleanest cities, setting new benchmarks in urban sanitation. Bengaluru was joined at the bottom of the list by Ranchi, Chennai, Ludhiana, and Madurai, raising concerns about sanitation governance in larger cities.

This year’s survey introduced updated evaluation criteria, differentiating between metropolitan and smaller urban areas to ensure a more balanced and fair comparison. The government also adhered to a ‘One City, One Award’ policy, recognizing the top city from each state as a Promising Swachh Shehar. A total of 34 cities earned this distinction, showing progress across regions in sanitation and public health.

Despite the setback, the ranking is expected to prompt introspection within the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and state authorities to revamp Bengaluru’s sanitation strategy and restore its civic reputation.