Indian Railways is set to launch a coordinated 45-day cleanliness drive across its network from September 17, focusing on sanitation, waste management and clearing administrative backlogs at railway stations
and offices.
The action plan will bring together three campaigns – Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026 from September 17 to October 2, Swachhata Pakhwada 2026 from October 1 to 15, and Special Campaign 6.0 from October 2 to 31.
Swachhata Hi Seva From September 17
This year’s Swachhata Hi Seva campaign will be held under the theme “Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat”.
The campaign will focus on transforming identified Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs), involving young people and organising health and welfare camps for sanitation workers.
A major feature will be the nationwide voluntary cleaning programme, **“Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath”**, scheduled for October 1.
The campaign is part of the wider national sanitation programme led jointly by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. It serves as a build-up to Swachh Bharat Diwas on October 2.
Swachhata Pakhwada To Follow
Swachhata Pakhwada 2026 will run from October 1 to 15. The initiative is mandated by the Cabinet Secretariat and requires Union ministries to undertake an intensive fortnight focused on cleanliness.
For the railways, the campaign will form part of the wider effort to improve sanitation and cleanliness across its network.
To promote wider participation, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation will award three shields to the best-performing railway units. The awards will recognise innovative efforts in mass mobilisation and solid waste management.
Special Campaign 6.0 To Focus On Offices
The third component, Special Campaign 6.0, will shift attention from public cleanliness to institutional housekeeping.
Running from October 2 to 31, the campaign will focus on disposing of pending administrative matters, better use and management of available space, and the collection and disposal of e-waste.
The campaign is driven by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). Its objective is to ensure that government offices clear pending files and remove redundancies, thereby freeing institutional space.
The government is currently undertaking the sixth iteration of the Special Campaign.
Railways’ Long Cleanliness Drive
The cleanliness push comes against the backdrop of the railways’ earlier struggle with large-scale waste accumulation and open discharge on railway tracks.
This led to the “Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat” initiative, under which traditional flush toilets were replaced with bio-toilets across the railway coaching fleet.
The Swachhata Hi Seva campaign is an annual cleanliness initiative that precedes Swachh Bharat Diwas, observed on October 2 to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The 45-day railway action plan will combine these cleanliness and administrative campaigns, with the stated focus on improving sanitation, managing waste and addressing pending matters across railway facilities.
