The thing with change and revolution is that things don’t happen overnight – it’s a process. In a video by the The BarberShop with Shantanu, where they talk about what changed in the city, that created the difference. And the fact is that it started with the mindset, in making people realize why a clean and healthy city matters. Even if that meant creating catchy jingles like Indore hua hai number one, to get civilians to act.

Of course it also required officials and organization to work with citizens – including the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and a number of NGOs. By eliminating garbage dumps and achieving 100% household-waste segregation, the city has made tremendous strides. Moreover, the IMC has effectively converted waste materials into valuable resources such as compost and fuel.

Now, the city’s solid waste management serves as a testament to the potential for cleaning up urban areas across India when municipal bodies, NGOs, and citizens come together. People were also taught about waste segregation and the need for it in households. The Indore Municipal Corporation launched a helpline and mandated that all issues must be registered and resolved within a 48-hour time frame.

This built a relationship between the municipal corporation and the people. And when we see someone working hard for a collective goal, we are driven to work as well.

In Indore’s case, the city realized the need to change, and the need to work together to be that change. And that got them to the goal. The thing with getting something good or achieving something distant is that anyone wants to put the effort to keep it that way. So when Indore transformed into the clean city that it is today, people did things to keep that intact.