Jaipur: Since taking charge as Mayor of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, Sunil Kothari has stepped up field inspections of civic services. He conducted a reality check of sanitation arrangements in Jaipur’s Walled City on Thursday night, and after spotting garbage on the road, picked up a broom and swept the street himself. The inspection began near the Hanuman Temple at Sanganeri Gate.
Jaipur MP Manju Sharma accompanied the Mayor, along with Councilor Anuradha Maheshwari, Deputy Commissioner Balram Meena, municipal officials and other public representatives. Kothari inspected sanitation arrangements in major markets of the Walled City after the day’s commercial activity had ended. He reviewed garbage accumulation, the deployment of sanitation workers, the availability of cleaning equipment and the waste collection process. When garbage was found on the road during the inspection, the Mayor personally picked up a broom and began sweeping.
The move highlighted the need for sanitation arrangements to work effectively at the ground level, particularly in busy commercial areas. Kothari said special sanitation measures were being planned in Jaipur ahead of October 2 and that he was personally reviewing the night cleaning operations. “I am personally assessing the night-time sanitation operations,” the Mayor said, adding that understanding the challenges faced by sanitation workers on the ground is essential to improving the system. He said officials are examining the deployment of workers, the availability of resources and the process of collecting garbage after markets close. Based on the findings, necessary changes will be made to improve the effectiveness of sanitation operations.
The Walled City is one of Jaipur’s major commercial and tourism areas, where large quantities of waste can accumulate after markets shut for the day. Timely collection of garbage, cleaning outside shops and deployment of sanitation workers are therefore key challenges for the civic administration. The late-night inspection was aimed at assessing whether the sanitation system planned by the Municipal Corporation is functioning effectively on the ground. Kothari said the approach ahead of Deepotsav is to ensure that Jaipur remains clean and attractive while the city is illuminated for the Diwali festival. The inspection provided an on-ground assessment of sanitation arrangements in some of the Walled City’s major markets and areas where waste accumulates after business hours.
During the inspection, Kothari also spoke about Jaipur’s heritage identity and its UNESCO World Heritage status. He said discussions are being held with officials on issues related to the city’s heritage and that effective measures would be taken to address them. Kothari also said Jaipur’s UNESCO heritage status would not be allowed to be lost. The late-night inspection comes as the Municipal Corporation faces the dual challenge of improving sanitation in the densely populated Walled City while protecting Jaipur’s historic character. The impact of the Mayor’s field inspections will ultimately depend on how effectively the issues identified during such visits are translated into changes in sanitation operations on the ground.