‘Throw 60 MT of Waste and Walk Away’: CJP Displayed Zero Social Responsibility at Jantar Mantar as 100 Sanitation Workers Clean Up the Disgraceful Mess

New Delhi: A massive round-the-clock clean-up operation got underway at Jantar Mantar and surrounding central Delhi areas on Sunday after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) called off its month-long protest. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) mobilized over 100 sanitation workers, heavy machinery, and specialized vehicles to restore the iconic protest site and neighboring thoroughfares.

According to civic body estimates, teams will clear nearly 60 metric tonnes of waste from the protest area and nearby roads before ending the drive.

NDMC Deploys Heavy Machinery and Night Crews

The restoration effort began immediately after protesters dispersed on Saturday following Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the NEET paper leak controversy. Municipal teams operated throughout the night to clear accumulated trash, wash thoroughfares, and begin structural repairs. Senior NDMC personnel remained present on the ground to oversee progress.

Sanitation units were deployed across key arterial routes, including Tolstoy Marg, Jantar Mantar Road, Sansad Marg, Jai Singh Marg, and the broader Connaught Place commercial district.

The NDMC stationed 75 sanitation workers on overnight duty, while another 35 workers took over the morning shift on Sunday. Speaking during a visit to inspect the site, NDMC Vice Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal highlighted the scale of the deployment.

"After the protest ended yesterday and people began leaving, our entire NDMC team worked through the night. We cleaned the entire Jantar Mantar area, clearing garbage, washing the roads, repainting walls, and restoring the site. All our resources were deployed," Chahal told reporters.

Over 52 Metric Tonnes of Waste Cleared

The volume of refuse surged dramatically as the protest concluded. Municipal officials reported that crews had removed approximately 40 metric tonnes of waste by Saturday night, followed by another 12 metric tonnes on Sunday morning. This brought the total waste removed to 52 metric tonnes, with expectations that the final total would reach nearly 60 metric tonnes.

To accelerate the clearance, the NDMC deployed:

• Eight auto-tippers
• Two heavy trucks
• One excavator
• Three pressure jetting machines

While pressure jetting units washed down the streets surrounding Jantar Mantar, mechanical road sweepers and ground crews addressed the surrounding grid.

Beyond garbage collection, the municipal teams are actively restoring damaged public infrastructure. Workers are repainting walls to cover protest slogans, fixing broken curbstones and footpaths, and power-washing public spaces across the zone.

Waste generation had already escalated sharply prior to the dispersal. On Friday, the NDMC collected around 27 metric tonnes of mixed waste, a noticeable increase from the 15 metric tonnes gathered the day before. Crews also had to dispose of construction debris, scattered stones, and other solid waste left across the site, making an intensive, 24-hour cleanup necessary.

The Trigger: Ministerial Resignation and Protest Highlights

The month-long protest centered around alleged examination irregularities and the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. A pivotal moment occurred during the agitation when activist Sonam Wangchuk undertook a 26-day hunger strike, drawing the attention of the whole nation. Tensions increased after Delhi Police relocated Sonam Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital, after which the Delhi High Court directed his transfer to a private facility in Gurugram.

The agitation reached its peak on July 20 during the 'Chalo Sansad' march. Police intervened during the march which was not allowed, stating that the demonstration had turned violent. The police action drew strong criticism from Opposition leaders who subsequently joined the demonstrators at Jantar Mantar. Prominent figures attending included:

• Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav
• Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat
• CPI MP P. Sandosh
• Former Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia
• Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad

The movement culminated on Saturday when Dharmendra Pradhan tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who accepted it. In his official resignation letter, Pradhan stated he was stepping down in the best interests of students to prevent the nation's youth from becoming "trapped in a web of confusion."

"For more than four decades, I have been associated with students, teachers, and the cause of education reform. I have always believed that a strong, inclusive, and forward-looking education system is the foundation of a strong nation," Pradhan said.

Following the end of the protest, CJP representatives stated that the government agreed to grant suitable compensation to the families of NEET aspirants who tragically died by suicide, while also assuring the withdrawal of FIRs filed against protesters nationwide. Meanwhile, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) confirmed that entry and exit gates across all Delhi Metro stations have reopened for regular passenger movement.
 

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