Reclaiming the Land Beneath the Waste
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, cities across India are transforming legacy waste dumpsites into sustainable public spaces and processing facilities. Between January and December 2025, 459 Urban Local Bodies across 29 States remediated 3.66 crore metric tonnes of legacy waste. Case studies from Gorakhpur, Delhi, Nagpur, and Raichur demonstrate how biomining and scientific waste management are reclaiming land for eco-parks, integrated waste facilities, and forests.
Why It Matters
Important for civil services and government exam candidates studying urban development, waste management policies, and government missions like Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.
In Simple Words
Urban India generates massive waste that historically accumulated in large municipal dumpsites. To resolve this, the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) was launched in October 2014, followed by SBM-U 2.0 in October 2021, focusing on scientific waste management and legacy waste remediation.
Cities such as Gorakhpur, Delhi, Nagpur, and Raichur have successfully used biomining and processing techniques to clear towering waste mounds. Former dumpsites have been reclaimed into eco-parks, integrated solid waste processing facilities, and Miyawaki forests, converting urban liability into ecological and public wealth.
Key Points
- Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) was launched in October 2014.
- Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 was launched in October 2021.
- Between January and December 2025, 3.66 crore metric tonnes of legacy waste was remediated.
- 459 Urban Local Bodies across 29 States achieved complete dumpsite remediation during this period.
- Gorakhpur's 40-acre dumpsite was transformed into the Kachre Se Kanchan Rapti Eco Park via biomining.
- Delhi's Bhalswa dumpsite remediation reclaimed more than half the site by May 2026, reaching 99.07 lakh metric tonnes of waste remediated by 31 July 2026.
- Nagpur's Bhandewadi dumping yard was converted into an Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility after treating over 10 lakh metric tonnes of waste.
- Raichur's Yakalaspura dumpsite reclaimed 22 acres of land, featuring a Miyawaki forest planted with 60,000 bamboo and native saplings.
Exam Angle
𝕏 Official Update
A. October 2014
Source: Press Information Bureau