Indore's Green Leap: A Story of Cleanliness and Sustainability
The Times of India article highlights Indore’s achievements as India’s Cleanest City and its leadership in green building with 478 million sq ft of IGBC-certified space. While reading this article related to two impressive milestones of Indore, I went into flashback in my 1989 when I moved in the commercial heartbeat of Madhya Pradesh from very small village Balsmud (Dist. Khargone)
I fondly recall the time that locals often referred to as “Shab-e-Malwa”. Evenings in the early 1990s, so cool, fragrant with neem and peepal leaves and full of chirping birds. Today, although the city shines clean, those gentle dusks feel lost beneath streetlights and traffic hum. I’ve witnessed this city evolve—especially its environmental landscape.
I’ve seen dusty lanes give way to smart streets, and once-lush green belts shrink under concrete—but also regrow through cognizant effort.
The “Shab-e-Malwa” of the 1990s
When I first set foot here in 1989, it was a city with green soul surrounded by nature
1) Wide green belts along roads on prominent areas specially Race Course, Khandwa Road, parts of Rau specially AB road near Rajendra Nagar offered cool natural shade even in sizzling summers
2) Outskirts areas like Scheme 78, Bicholi Mardana, Sanwer Road were full of mango orchards, lush green beautiful farmland.
3) Residents strolled at dusk under rustling branches, relishing cool breezes that bore the scent of earth.
4) Meghdoot Garden and Kamla Nehru Park were small but full of chirping birds, free from urban din
5) During that time the city wasn’t perfect, waste disposal was primitive and public spaces were not well maintained.
Urban Boom and Environmental Trade-offs
Indore grew into a booming education and business hub in the 2000s at a cost of It’s natural “lungs.”
1) Orchards and agricultural gave ways to new residential and commercial spaces.
2) Road widening by cutting down old neem and banyan trees
3) New heat-retaining concrete roads swallowed up natural green belts and habitats evenings grew warmer even as the city grew cleaner; “Shab-e-Malwa” became a rare memory.
The Cleanliness & Re-Greening Revolution
Starting around 2016, a new chapter began with the arrival of two game-changers; Swachh Bharat Mission and Smart Cities Mission. These initiatives catalysed
1) Door-to-door waste collection with strict segregation under Swachh Bharat Mission and Cleanliness drive, we Indorians proudly earned the title of India’s cleanest city for seven consecutive years.
2) A great initiative Annual plantation drives by Indore municipal corporation in collaboration with NGOs, Schools, college and residents by planting over a lakh sapling each monsoon to restore its natural landscape.
3) Devguradia Biodiversity Park and dozens of pocket Miyawaki forests retrieving its native woodland for preserving wildlife and native flora
4) Rise in IGBC-certified green buildings and eco-friendly architecture as an energy-efficient alternative
5) Eco-Friendly Transport electric buses and auto-rickshaws an indispensable footstep in tumbling the carbon footprint
6) Rejuvenation of Water Body (Kanh and Saraswati Rivers) and many more demonstrates Indore’s commitment to water conservation.
These efforts gradually rejuvenated the green spirit that demarcated the Indore city in the 1990s, though old evening freshness “Shab-e-Malwa” still hasn’t evoked its full magical glory.
Remaining Challenges & the Path Forward
Despite our successes, Indore still faces hurdles
1) Sapling Survival Rates: Nearly 30 % saplings perish without adequate aftercare.
2) Native Biodiversity: Exotic species in some pocket plantations don’t support local wildlife.
3) Urban Heat Islands: Dense concrete pockets remain hot and unshaded
4) Air & sound pollution due to emerging traffic
5) Plastic Waste Management especially of multi-layered packaging
To truly revive “Shab-e-Malwa” again, we must conserve enduring green belts and old trees, decree native-species planting, participate in community tree care programs, ensure sapling survival, develop green roofs, vertical gardens, and shaded corridors.
7. Looking ahead, Vision 2030: A Greener and Cooler Indore
Vision 2030 roadmap imagines Indore as a global symbol of sustainable urban living
1) Per-capita green cover to achieve Global Standards
2) Carbon Neutrality by Net-zero carbon public transport
3) Urban farming in every ward to revive its agricultural heritage
4) Youth-led eco-incubators and green innovations
5) Climate Resilience & Smart Governance
From the bucolic evenings, verdant belts in the early 1990s to today’s glittering smart city but slightly warmer, Indore’s story proves what collective will can achieve. As a resident since 1989, I know both losses and gains. Let’s unite to plant, protect, and preserve—so that Shab-e-Malwa returns in all its glory, and Indore shines as a truly sustainable city. Indore’s seven-time champion status shows our potential; now let’s channel that energy to make every evening as enchanting as it once was.
Sage University Indore is playing a key role in Indore’s green transformation. With initiatives like solar-powered infrastructure, green campus drives, sustainability-focused research, and community engagement programs, the university is nurturing environmentally conscious leaders of tomorrow.
Prof. Dr. Sapna Dabade
Dept. of Applied Science, Institute of Engineering and Technology