Ludhiana (Gurpreet Singh): In an effort to reinforce the message of public cleanliness, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu surprised commuters and railway staff by personally participating in a sanitation drive at Ludhiana Railway Station on Monday morning. Rather than simply inspecting the station, the minister rolled up his sleeves, wore protective gloves and began clearing waste from the railway tracks himself.
Walking along the tracks with a garbage bag in hand, Bittu removed plastic waste, food wrappers, fruit remains and other discarded items lying between the rail lines. His active involvement attracted the attention of passengers, many of whom stopped to watch the drive unfold.
Addressing those present, the minister stressed that maintaining cleanliness is not solely the responsibility of government agencies or sanitation workers. He said every citizen has a role to play in protecting public spaces and urged travellers to avoid throwing garbage onto railway premises.
Bittu noted that advanced machinery and dedicated cleaning teams are available for such work, but he chose to participate personally to send a stronger message about civic responsibility. According to him, real change will come only when people voluntarily adopt cleaner habits in their daily lives.
He also encouraged passengers to make use of dustbins installed at stations and to cooperate with railway authorities in preserving hygiene. Clean public spaces, he said, reflect the discipline and awareness of society as a whole.
Recalling the nationwide cleanliness movement launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Minister said the campaign has always aimed to transform public behaviour rather than remain limited to official programmes. He urged citizens to become active partners in this mission instead of remaining silent spectators.
The initiative was appreciated by railway employees and commuters, several of whom described the minister’s participation as an example of leadership through action. Many expressed hope that such gestures would inspire more people to adopt responsible civic practices and contribute to cleaner public infrastructure.
