Rain or Shine, She Sweeps On: The Unsung Heroes of India’s Clean Streets

When Bengaluru was hit by its worst rains last year, most of us stayed safe indoors.

But out on the flooded streets… someone kept working.

At 4 AM, a woman was seen wading through knee-deep water, broom in hand.
She cleared roads and pushed away debris — not for applause, not for rewards — just so children wouldn’t slip on their way to school.

And she’s not alone.

Across India — in Delhi’s frozen mornings, Mumbai’s jam-packed gullies, and Chennai’s blazing heat — thousands of safai karamcharis show up day after day, rain or shine.

From sweeping streets before dawn to unclogging drains after storms,
they don’t do it for fame, but for a cleaner city.
They don’t wait for recognition, but they ensure our safety and health.

They are the invisible backbone of urban India.

They walk through floods, fight mosquitoes, inhale dust and smoke —
so we can walk clean, safe roads.

Have you ever thanked them?

Drop a 💛 if you believe they deserve more recognition.