By Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said the government has reclaimed nearly 100 acres of land at the Okhla, Bhalswa and Ghazipur landfill sites as part of efforts to tackle the capital’s long-standing legacy waste problem. She said large-scale waste processing and scientific remediation are helping transform areas that had remained burdened by accumulated garbage for years.
According to Gupta, around 70 lakh metric tonnes of waste has been processed at Okhla, leading to the reclamation of about 35 acres. At Bhalswa, approximately 102 lakh metric tonnes has been processed and nearly 45 acres reclaimed, while Ghazipur has seen around 44 lakh metric tonnes of waste processed, with about 20 acres recovered.
Processed waste being reused
The Chief Minister said the inert material left after waste processing is being put to use in road construction and for filling low-lying areas. She said the clean-up has also had an impact on people living around the landfill sites.
Gupta said the improvement in surrounding areas has contributed to better living conditions for residents and has also resulted in an increase in property values in nearby localities.
Four new waste-to-energy plants planned
The government is also focusing on preventing fresh accumulation of garbage after the existing landfill waste is cleared. Gupta said four new waste-to-energy plants are being introduced so that waste generated in Delhi can be processed without allowing it to build up again.
The Okhla and Bhalswa landfill sites have been given a December 2026 deadline for clearance. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has set a target of clearing the Ghazipur landfill by the end of 2027, according to an announcement made by Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi last month.
Civic works planned across Delhi
Gupta also announced a series of development and civic works to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17. The initiatives will cover areas including sanitation, drinking water and sewerage, traffic management, education, electricity and other civic facilities.
The Chief Minister said the government’s focus was to ensure that development was not limited to select parts of the city and that its benefits reached residents across Delhi.
