His selfless daily routine has won admiration from residents, civic officials, and prominent personalities like industrialist Anand Mahindra, who shared Sidhu’s story widely on social media. The ongoing positive impact of his grassroots initiative underscores the power of individual action in driving community change.
Every day before dawn, Inderjit Singh Sidhu quietly embarks on his mission to clean the streets around his residence in Chandigarh’s Sector 49. Armed with nothing more than a humble cycle cart, the retired IPS officer collects litter scattered across roads and public spaces.
“I like a clean place, so I try to clean it myself,” Sidhu told ANI News, reflecting his simple yet powerful philosophy. “It will be good if the parking at this market area is clean. If you visit any foreign country and look at their floors, they are generally very clean, but this is not the case in India. In the competition for cleanliness across India, Chandigarh has ranked second. Chandigarh is famous for its cleanliness and beauty.”
He knows his body has limits. He uses bags or abandoned carts to gather the waste. “My contribution is minimal, but it brings me satisfaction,” he said. “I will continue this work till my last breath.”
Sidhu’s commitment is undeterred by age or rank -- having retired as Deputy Inspector General in 1996, he now invests his time in public service, proving that purpose and dedication transcend formal positions. Residents have noted a marked improvement in cleanliness, and Chandigarh’s municipal officials have described Sidhu’s initiative as “deeply commendable,” recognising it as an inspiring example of citizen-led betterment.
Sidhu’s cleanliness drive originated from a deep disappointment with Chandigarh’s performance in national cleanliness rankings. Though the city, known as the “City Beautiful,” secured second place in the 2024-25 Swachh Survekshan survey under the "Super Swachh League" category for cities with populations between 3 and 10 lakh, Sidhu felt the ground reality did not match this accolade. After repeatedly raising concerns with authorities without concrete results, he decided to take proactive steps himself.
Industrialist Anand Mahindra also took note of Sidhu’s dedication and posted on his 'X' account about him, calling him a “quiet warrior of the streets.”
This clip which was shared with me is about Shri Inder Jit Singh Sidhu of Chandigarh.
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) July 22, 2025
Apparently, every morning at 6 AM, in the quiet streets of Chandigarh’s sector 49, this 88-year-old retired police officer begins his day in service.
Armed with nothing but a cycle cart and… pic.twitter.com/pkDlptoY8f
His efforts have sparked growing local support, with neighbours and shopkeepers gradually joining or facilitating his initiative.
