CM Rekha Gupta directs MCD to clear landfill sites by December 2026

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday directed MCD to ensure that the three landfill sites in the capital are completely cleared by December 2026, officials said.

Gupta also stressed the need for expediting Waste-to-Energy (WTE) projects to prevent fresh dumping of garbage at existing sites.

Extending the ongoing “Delhi ko Kude Se Azadi” (Freedom from Garbage) campaign until October 2, 2025, the chief minister said the government was committed to building a cleaner and greener Delhi.

The directions were issued during a review meeting on solid waste management chaired by Gupta at the Delhi Secretariat.

The meeting was attended by Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, Standing Committee Chairperson Satya Sharma, senior MCD officials, including Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, and officers from the Delhi government.

Officials informed that MCD has scaled up its biomining capacity at dumpsites from 15,000 tonnes per day (TPD) to 25,000 TPD. Plans were also discussed for setting up new waste management centres in each zone, developing biogas plants to handle dairy waste, and constructing multilevel parking facilities in high-footfall markets like Karol Bagh and Kamla Nagar.

Gupta underlined the importance of integrated efforts and inter-agency coordination, adding that her office would proactively intervene to resolve pending issues such as the shifting of power transmission lines to ensure the timely execution of WTE plants.

Meanwhile, Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh said the meeting focused on reviewing progress and strategising future steps to strengthen the capital’s solid waste management infrastructure.

He said the MCD has achieved a significant milestone by increasing daily biomining efficiency at dumpsites from 15,000 tonnes per day (TPD) to 25,000 TPD.

Singh added that the MCD has also been directed to develop a comprehensive funding proposal, taking into account the requirements of existing sanitation staff and gardeners (malis), to strengthen ground-level operations.

It was further discussed that, to address urban congestion, around 10 new multilevel parking structures should be planned in high-footfall areas such as Karol Bagh and Kamla Nagar markets.

In addition, a proposal will be prepared for the construction of two new biogas plants dedicated to dairy waste management, depending on land availability at suitable locations.