The Ministry of Tourism organized a major cleanliness drive at the historic Hauz Khas Fort in New Delhi on October 1, 2026, as part of the Swachhta Hi Seva Campaign. The initiative was conducted under the nationwide 'Ek Din, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Shramdaan program, which encourages collective participation in cleanliness activities.
Approximately 500 participants joined the drive, which was spearheaded by Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, along with senior officials and staff. The event saw significant participation from leading hospitality and tourism education institutions, including Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Pusa, Indian Culinary Institute (ICI) Noida, National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT), Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) Noida, and Ashok Institute of Hotel Management (Ashok IHM).
The primary objectives of the drive were to highlight the importance of hygiene, promote civic responsibility, and emphasize the preservation of India's cultural heritage. The initiative aimed to raise public awareness about maintaining cleanliness at tourism destinations and ensuring that iconic monuments remain clean, well-maintained, and welcoming for both domestic and international visitors.
As part of the program, students from IHM Pusa presented a short play emphasizing the importance of integrating cleanliness into daily life and contributing to cleaner tourist destinations. This event was preceded by two related activities: a Felicitation Programme on September 23, 2026, honoring Safai Mitras for their contributions to maintaining sanitation standards, and a cleanliness drive at Safdarjung Tomb on September 27, 2026 (World Tourism Day) to spread the message of maintaining cleanliness at tourist sites.