Beyond the headlines: Gratitude for the silent women & men keeping Lucknow clean

While the city celebrates its new ranking in the latest cleanliness survey, 45-year-old Sunita is already two hours into her shift, sweeping the dust off Lohia Path before the morning rush takes over the city's VIP route.

It is barely 7:00 AM, and the winter fog still clings heavily to the nearby river. While most of the city is tucked warm under blankets, fighting the urge to hit snooze, municipal workers battle the biting chill with nothing but thin shawls and the rhythmic motion of their brooms. They aren't thinking about statistics or awards; their focus is on the piles of dry leaves and plastic wrappers—the only evidence left of the previous night’s activity

Across Lucknow, similar scenes unfold in the early hours—women tying their dupattas tighter against the wind, men warming their hands over tiny fires before picking up their tools. From narrow lanes of old Chowk to the wide boulevards of Gomti Nagar, they move quietly and methodically, forming an unseen network that holds the city together. Their work may go unnoticed, but its impact shapes every corner of the city we take pride in.

As the city basks in its cleanliness ranking, it’s easy to forget that such achievements rest not on policies alone but on the labour of those who remain invisible to most of us. Women now lead much of this workforce—shouldering the city’s expectations with remarkable dedication—while their male colleagues walk beside them in the same unspoken rhythm of duty. Without their collective effort, the shiny numbers on survey charts would lose all meaning.

Cleanliness isn't just a metric of urban planning; it is a daily, relentless human effort. While we share news of the city's ranking with pride on our social media, we often fail to share even a nod of acknowledgement with the very people who made that ranking possible.

So, the next time you pass a municipal worker on your morning commute, take a moment to really see them. Look beyond the broom and the dust. They are not just clearing the roads; they are restoring the dignity of our city every single day. The surveys may make the headlines, but it is their invisible labor that makes our city livable.

A smile, a pause, or a simple 'thank you' might not change their wages, but it tells them that they are seen, they are valued, and that their city is grateful.