Swachh Bharat: Cleanest Cities in India

In recent years, India has amped up its cleanliness game. With the Swachh Bharat initiative gaining momentum all around the country, we feel pride in noticing how cities have cleaned up their act, quite literally. In fact, cities are making it to the newspaper headlines almost every day with the cleanliness initiatives that they have taken up. This has spelt good news for tourism too, with cities making it to the must-visit list simply because they’re so clean!

Here are the top 10 cities in India that have set a stellar example in terms of cleanliness (in no particular order).

Khajuraho

khajuraho

The erotic carvings on the temples of Khajuraho make this a World Heritage Site, and one that draws travellers from far and wide. This land filled with history, religion and culture is a sacred land of temples, and is extremely well-maintained in terms of hygiene and cleanliness. Even with heavy tourist traffic, every spot here is spic-and-span.

Book Your Flight to Khajuraho

Hassan

187 km from Bangalore, Hassan is a small village in south India known for its cleanliness and hygiene. With minimum pollution and tourist activity, Hassan makes it to our travel list this year. Hassan is a great option for those interested in culture and history, because the temples and heritage sites are a must-visit. Make sure you visit the Belur Temple and the Chennakesava Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Book Your Flight to Bangalore (nearest airport)

Vishakhapatnam

Busy port areas and heavy industrialization could not mar the chances of Vizag being clean and green. This coastal city is a great option for travelers looking at a spiritual break from the mundane, because along with clean beaches, Vizag also offers you the chance to understand India’s rich culture and history through its temples and architecture. Tourists flock to this coastal town throughout the year.

Book Your Flight to Visakhapatnam

Indore

indore

In 2017 Indore made it to the number 1 spot in the list of cleanest cities in India! Despite being densely populated and hosting a large number of tourists every year, given its rich architectural history, Indore was one of the many cities of Madhya Pradesh that made it to this list. When in Indore, make sure you try out the street food the city has to offer, because it is some of the best in the country!

Book Your Flight to Indore

Mawlynnong

Termed as the ‘Cleanest Village in Asia’, this tiny settlement in Meghalaya will take your breath away. 100 km from Shillong, this village is located close to Bangladesh, and is kept spotlessly clean by all its inhabitants. Colourful plants and a dense green cover make the air fresh, making it a perfect holiday destination for a digital detox. When in Mawwlinnong, make sure you visit the living root bridges, which are natural bridges made out of trees!

Book Your Flight to Shillong (nearest airport)

Bhopal

There has been a significant amount of industrialization in Bhopal, but that by no chance has affected its chances of being a clean, green city. With plenty of natural lakes, this city continues to charm tourists even today. It has since long maintained the status of being one of the greenest cities in India, and continues to make its dwellers proud even today.

Book Your Flight to Bhopal

Gangtok

gangtok

Take in a deep breath when you’re in Gangtok because the city is known to have the best quality air in India. Gangtok has, for a long time, enjoyed the status of being a spiritual haven for travellers, especially those who have an interest in Buddhism. You truly feel close to nature in Gangtok, with an abundance of greenery and mountains all around. Nestled in the mighty Himalayas, the capital city of Sikkim has proudly made it to the list of the cleanest cities to visit in India.

Book Your Flight to Bagdogra (nearest airport)

Halisahar

Less than 10 sq. km in area, Halisahar is a village in West Bengal that boasts of abundant shallow lakes. Tourists flock to this village for religious purposes, especially during Kali Puja when the whole of West Bengal comes alive with festive fervour. This clean village is also home to the largest jute mills in Asia. When in Halisahar, do not forget to take back jute souvenirs!

Book Your Flight to Kolkata (nearest airport)

Tirupati

This holy city in Andhra Pradesh has over the years worked hard to achieve the best levels of cleanliness. Even with a large volume of pilgrims visiting this city, Tirupati has found its way to be in the top 10 cleanest cities in India this year, according to a survey. Tirupati is a famous pilgrimage destination for travellers because of the famous and much-revered Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.

Book Your Flight to Chennai (nearest airport)

Mysore

mysore

The largest city of Karnataka makes it to the list of cleanest cities to visit in India this year! Known for the enchanting Mysore Palace and St. Philomena’s church, Mysore is seen buzzing with tourists at all times of the year. Even with the heavy influx of travellers, this green city has managed to maintain extremely high standards of cleanliness and hygiene over the years.

With cleanliness being an attractive theme in the travel industry today, it is great to see the country making efforts to stay squeaky clean. It won’t be long before more cities are added to this list. Let’s hope for the best, and join hands as responsible tourists to make the entire country Swachh!

Protima Tiwary

An Army kid in pursuit of culinary nirvana, Protima Tiwary is a freelance travel writer by day and Dumbbells and Drama, a fitness blogger by night. High on love, life and sugar, she is mildly obsessed about cupcakes and to-do lists, and loves her long runs like a fat kid loves cake. While she fumbles towards fame as a writer, she believes living life with a little bit of flair and exaggeration makes things interesting.

Celebrating #SwachhBharat: The 10 Cleanest Cities in India