New Delhi: Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Manohar Lal on Wednesday reviewed the progress of legacy waste remediation at Delhi’s Bhalswa Dumpsite and directed authorities to complete the cleanup of the landfill site by September. The visit marked his second on-site inspection of the remediation project, which is being undertaken by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The Bhalswa Dumpsite is among the major landfill remediation projects being implemented under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ Dumpsite Remediation and Action Plan (DRAP), launched under Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0. The initiative aims to achieve the national goal of “Lakshya Zero Dumpsites” through scientific waste treatment, environmental restoration, and reclamation of valuable urban land.
Officials informed the Minister that the site contained nearly 73 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste in June 2022. Since July 2022, biomining operations have been carried out continuously in mission mode, processing around 15,000 metric tonnes of waste every day. As of May 26, 2026, the remaining waste quantity has been reduced to approximately 23.17 lakh metric tonnes, while nearly 43 acres of land have been reclaimed from the total 70-acre dumpsite area.
During the review, Shri Manohar Lal assessed biomining operations, environmental safeguards, fire prevention measures, and leachate management systems. Stressing the need for faster execution, he instructed officials to ensure the complete remediation of the site by September to improve environmental conditions and public health in surrounding neighbourhoods.
The Minister also directed authorities to process fresh waste immediately to prevent future accumulation and emphasized that no new legacy waste should be created. He further stated that reclaimed land should be utilized for public and community welfare purposes after remediation is completed.
The Bhalswa project is considered a significant step in Delhi’s efforts to transform former landfill sites into environmentally sustainable urban spaces while addressing long-standing waste management challenges.
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