Vrindavan Today | Bureau Report
14th August, 2026, Vrindavan: The campaign to make Mathura-Vrindavan cleaner and more dignified received a fresh impetus as the Municipal Corporation of Mathura-Vrindavan launched a public awareness and cleanliness dialogue with e-rickshaw drivers at Daruk Parking near Naveen Mandi in Vrindavan on Thursday.
Held under the Vraj Vaibhav Abhiyan, the initiative seeks to turn e-rickshaw drivers into ambassadors of cleanliness, responsible citizenship and traffic discipline. The campaign carries the message: “We have resolved to make Braj clean.”
The programme was attended by Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad Vice Chairman Shailjakant Misra, District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar, Mathura-Vrindavan Development Authority Vice Chairman and CEO of the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad Lakshmi Nagappan, Municipal Commissioner Aojasvi Raj, SP City Rajiv Kumar Singh, senior officials of the Municipal Corporation, representatives of voluntary organisations and other prominent citizens.
E-rickshaws to carry the cleanliness message
Municipal Commissioner Ojaswi Raj called upon e-rickshaw drivers to follow designated routes and cooperate in maintaining smooth and orderly traffic. He said their regular interaction with residents and pilgrims makes them an important link in taking the message of cleanliness to the wider public.
Portable dustbins and waste collection bags were provided for e-rickshaws so that passengers could dispose of waste responsibly. Drivers were urged to discourage passengers from throwing garbage on the streets and to ensure that waste collected in their vehicles is disposed of at designated locations.
Signboards carrying the message “We have resolved to make Braj clean” were also installed on e-rickshaws. The move is expected to take the cleanliness message to thousands of residents and pilgrims travelling through the city every day.
Cleanliness campaign gets a patriotic touch
A cleanliness and public awareness video jointly prepared by the Municipal Corporation and the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad was screened during the programme. The video highlighted cleanliness, civic responsibility and the need for collective participation in building a cleaner Braj.
The dignitaries were presented with Braj cleanliness mementoes. Selected e-rickshaws were then decorated with the national flag and fitted with cleanliness message boards and dustbins.
As part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, the dignitaries flagged off a Tiranga rally of e-rickshaws. Decorated with the national flag, the vehicles carried a combined message of patriotism, cleanliness and civic responsibility across Vrindavan.
The venue echoed with slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “We have resolved to make Braj clean.”
E-rickshaw drivers present at the programme pledged to play an active role in creating a clean and beautiful Braj.
Shailjakant Misra: Clean Braj is a collective responsibility
Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad Vice Chairman Shailjakant Misra said keeping Braj clean and beautiful was a collective responsibility. He described the decision to involve e-rickshaw drivers in the cleanliness campaign as a meaningful initiative.
He pointed out that e-rickshaw drivers come into daily contact with large numbers of local residents as well as pilgrims from across India and abroad. Their involvement can therefore help spread the message of cleanliness and civic responsibility on a much larger scale.
Misra said providing dustbins in e-rickshaws and encouraging passengers not to throw waste on the roads would further strengthen the cleanliness system in Mathura-Vrindavan.
DM stresses civic responsibility
District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh praised the initiative of Municipal Commissioner Aojasvi Raj and the Municipal Corporation to involve e-rickshaw drivers in the cleanliness campaign.
He said e-rickshaw drivers are an important part of the city’s transport and public life and interact daily with both residents and pilgrims. He urged them to educate passengers about cleanliness, encourage them to use designated waste disposal points and follow traffic regulations.
Referring to Independence Day, Singh said the occasion provides an opportunity to reaffirm one’s duties towards the nation. Just as freedom fighters made sacrifices for India’s independence, citizens must demonstrate a similar sense of responsibility towards their city, society and environment.
He said the Tricolour symbolises India’s pride and honour and combining it with the message of a clean Braj strengthens the spirit of public service.
The District Magistrate also reiterated that polythene has been completely banned in Braj and appealed to both pilgrims and local residents to refrain from using it.
SSP calls for traffic discipline
Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said e-rickshaw drivers form an important component of the city’s traffic system. Strict adherence to designated routes and traffic regulations, he said, could make urban traffic safer, smoother and more efficient.
He appealed to drivers to cooperate with the police and administration and help ensure safe and convenient movement for residents and pilgrims.
Municipal Commissioner: Drivers are the campaign’s brand ambassadors
Municipal Commissioner Aojasvi Raj said e-rickshaw drivers interact with a large number of citizens and pilgrims every day, making them an important link in the cleanliness campaign.
He said the initiative would use e-rickshaws to educate passengers about cleanliness and civic responsibility. Waste generated by passengers would be collected in the dustbins provided in the vehicles and disposed of at designated locations.
He also urged drivers to strictly follow designated routes and traffic regulations.
“The objective is not only to strengthen the cleanliness system of Mathura-Vrindavan but also to make the city’s traffic more orderly,” Raj said, adding that e-rickshaw drivers could play a crucial role in taking the message “We have resolved to make Braj clean” to every section of society.
The programme concluded with a collective pledge to keep Braj clean, the message of Har Ghar Tiranga, and the national anthem.
