India’s cities show a stark reality. The glittering skyline stands beside overflowing garbage dumps. Shiny malls stand next to crowded, dirty lanes. The dream of truly clean urban spaces remains out of reach for most Indians. The Swachh Survekshan 2025 report is out, and it tells an uncomfortable story. Some of India’s biggest metros are the dirtiest cities, struggling badly with cleanliness. Meanwhile, smaller towns are doing much better as size and money don’t guarantee clean streets.
What is Swachh Survekshan? For years, the government, through Swachh Bharat Mission, has run an annual survey called Swachh Survekshan. This survey checks how city managers handle cleanliness, sanitization, and waste management. Cities get scores based on garbage collection, waste processing, toilet maintenance, and what citizens say about their area. By 2025, the survey will cover over 4000 cities across India.
The Dirtiest Cities
Madurai Takes Last Place (Score 4823): The once-renowned temple city of Tamil Nadu, Madurai, has turned into the dirtiest city in India. The city got just 4823 points. Garbage bins are filled frequently. There is hardly any segregation of waste. Public toilets are poorly maintained. The city, which was a destination for thousands of tourists, is now facing a lack of basic cleanliness.
Ludhiana Ranks Second (Score: 5272): The industrial city of Punjab, Ludhiana, had a score of 5272. The industrial waste generated in the city is huge, yet the structures to manage it are feeble. Household waste mixes with factory waste. In most places, streets remain dirty for days on end. The industrial orientation in the city has evidently damaged its attention to cleanliness.
Chennai at Third (Score: 6822): The city of Chennai, which is one of the four largest Indian metros, is in third place in this list with 6822 points. The city is a coastal city with drainage issues. In most places, the garbage is collected haphazardly. Waste is accumulated in residential areas. This is a poor performance considering that the city is home to more than 7 million people.
Ranchi Comes Fourth (Score: 6835): The capital of Jharkhand, Ranchi, had a score of 6835 points. The city is not able to dispose of garbage correctly, even as the state capital. There is open dumping of garbage. There is poor sewage treatment. The city should implement serious infrastructure upgrades.
Bengaluru at Fifth (Score: 6842): The city of Bengaluru, which is commonly referred to as the Silicon Valley of India, has been ranked the fifth-dirtiest urban center in India. The city scored 6842 points. It is shocking for a city that is recognized all over the world as technologically advanced and innovative. The uncontrolled development and lack of civic discipline in the city have taken their toll on the cleanliness of the city. The traffic congestion increases the difficulty in garbage collection. Landfills are overflowing. There is poor maintenance of public spaces. There are IT parks that are glamorous, and the environment around them is in poor condition in terms of sanitation and hygiene.
Ranks 6-10 Dhanbad scored 7196 points. Faridabad got 7329. Greater Mumbai, which is the financial capital of India, could only amass 7419 points. Srinagar scored 7488. The national capital, Delhi, ends the list at 10th place with 7920 points. Delhi is also not an exception, as it appears on the list of dirtiest cities in India in tenth.
Top 10 Dirtiest Cities In India 2025
| Rank | City | State | Population | Score | Key Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madurai | Tamil Nadu | 1.5+ million | 4823 | Poor segregation, bad sanitation |
| 2 | Ludhiana | Punjab | 1.6+ million | 5272 | Industrial waste problems |
| 3 | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 7+ million | 6822 | Drainage, irregular collection |
| 4 | Ranchi | Jharkhand | 1.1+ million | 6835 | Open dumping, sewage issues |
| 5 | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 12+ million | 6842 | Landfill overflow, unplanned growth |
| 6 | Dhanbad | Jharkhand | 1.2+ million | 7196 | Mining waste, weak infrastructure |
| 7 | Faridabad | Haryana | 1.4+ million | 7329 | Industrial pollution |
| 8 | Greater Mumbai | Maharashtra | 20+ million | 7419 | Massive waste volume |
| 9 | Srinagar | J&K | 1.2+ million | 7488 | Tourist waste, old sewage systems |
| 10 | Delhi | NCT | 30+ million | 7920 | Processing capacity shortage |
Why Are Big Cities Failing?
Too many people, too fast: The cities built to accommodate a few million people currently accommodate tens of millions. The infrastructure is not able to sustain it. Garbage trucks are unable to cover all corners. Recycling facilities are congested.
Poor waste management: The majority of cities rely on ancient practices. Individuals do not segregate waste at home. Wet waste is contaminated with dry waste. This renders recycling nearly impossible. It results in overcrowded landfills.
No one is taking responsibility: Citizens litter the streets. Law enforcers do not do it right. In other regions, collectors are ignored by contractors. No one is blameless. Nobody holds anyone accountable. The rubbish merely piles and piles.
Money isn’t used well: Budgets are set aside to make cities clean. The cash does not always find its way to where it is required. Projects get delayed. Equipment sits unused. In the meantime, the streets remain filthy.
Smaller Towns Are Winning
The current rankings of 2025 show that unplanned growth, poor waste management, and civic apathy still pose challenges to the largest cities in India. But there’s hope. Other cities like Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Lucknow, Raipur, and Jabalpur have emerged as good performers, as they have taken positions in the list of cleanest cities in the country. Other metros like Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai are also shining brightly, as their dedication towards maintaining cleanliness in the cities has improved in the new Super Swachh League.
These cities demonstrate that great management is better than big budgets. The involvement of citizens is more important than the population. Regular work is better than infrequent campaigns.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
With industrial cities that cannot cope with pollution or even ancient cities that have turned into dumping grounds, this list of dirtiest cities acts as a constant reminder that it is a long road before India can have a clean and sustainable city. Large metros produce 60,000 to 70,000 metric tons of solid waste daily. Out of the collected waste, only 60-70% is processed. The vast majority of landfills work above their capacity. Fewer than 40 percent of households segregate waste at home.
The difference between the cleanest and the dirtiest cities is more than 3,000 points. That is a massive disparity in living standards.
Can Things Get Better?
The rankings of this year point to a positive direction. Some cities have enhanced their waste collection and sanitation. On the contrary, others are still grappling with rubbish disposal, blocked drains, and a lack of hygiene. The report from Swachh Survekshan 2025 creates a clear image of improvements and unresolved issues. While some cities have been glorified by consistent development, other cities are still struggling with ineffective civic infrastructure, unplanned developments, and a lack of proper waste management.
It is interesting to note that most of the smaller towns have done better this year compared with the largest metros in India, and it is evident that resources are not the only thing that guarantees cleanliness. Will the large cities take the lessons of the smaller cities? Will they fix their systems? Or are they going to continue losing their ranking? Only time will tell.
Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | X |
Youtube | Pinterest | Google News |
Entertales is on YouTube; click here to subscribe for the latest videos and updates.