Varanasi is on track to become India's first garbage-free city within the next two months, as 23 of its 27 garbage dumps have already been closed and the remaining four are set to be eliminated soon. This announcement was made by Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari on Tuesday, who emphasized that work is underway to clear the last remaining dumps.
Improvement in Swachh Survekshan Ranking
Tiwari, who recently completed three years in office, highlighted that Varanasi's ranking in the Swachh Survekshan survey has improved significantly from 41st in 2023 to 17th in 2025. The number of sanitation workers has also increased from 4,075 to 7,428, and cleaning operations at major temples and key roads are now being carried out in three shifts daily.
Scientific Bio-Mining and Urban Forest Plans
The civic body is focusing on scientific bio-mining of the Karsada dumping ground. Plans are also underway to develop an urban forest at the site using the Miyawaki technique, which involves dense planting of native species to create a lush green area.
Financial Management and Revenue Growth
Mayor Tiwari highlighted the city's financial management achievements, noting that revenue collection has risen from Rs 94.36 crore to Rs 415 crore over the past three years, without any increase in property tax. During the same period, the Municipal Corporation's budget expanded from Rs 843 crore to Rs 2,775.44 crore.
Anti-Encroachment Drive
Under the anti-encroachment drive, 1,250 bigha of prime land was freed from encroachment and added to the corporation's land bank. This effort has helped reclaim valuable land for public use and future development.
With these measures, Varanasi is poised to set a benchmark for cleanliness and sustainable waste management in the country.
