MCD to cut community garbage bins to 20% as part of solid waste management revamp

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi plans to reduce the number of conventional community garbage bins in the city to 20 per cent of the existing level, with a pilot to be taken up in three zones within the next 90 days, officials said on Wednesday.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by MCD Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar to review the city’s solid waste management system, with the civic body also planning differentiated waste collection arrangements for residential colonies, congested streets, slum clusters, markets, hospitals and institutional areas.

Khirwar directed zonal deputy commissioners to prepare ward-wise action plans and identify land or facilities for decentralised treatment of wet waste through composting, biogas, compressed biogas and other technologies, according to the MCD.

The civic body also plans to deploy smaller or specially designed vehicles in narrow and congested lanes where conventional garbage collection vehicles cannot operate to prevent roadside dumping and improve door-to-door collection.

The commissioner also directed officials to progressively make markets “bin-free” by putting in place designated waste collection and transportation arrangements.

“Dependence on conventional community bins will be reduced in a phased manner,” the MCD said, adding that a pilot would be undertaken in three zones within three months.

The civic body is also looking at strengthening night sweeping and mechanised wet-cleaning in high-footfall and commercial areas and expanding its “Zero Waste Colonies” model, currently implemented in 823 colonies.

Zero Waste Colony is a neighbourhood where no waste ends up at landfill, as it is managed locally.

Khirwar’s directions came ahead of the month-long “Swachhata Hi Seva 2026” campaign, which will be observed from September 17 to October 17.

Under the campaign, the MCD will focus on cleaning difficult and dirty spots, public places and Cleanliness Target Units, besides conducting awareness drives on waste segregation, composting and other waste-management practices.

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The civic body will also organise activities involving school students and youth, along with initiatives such as waste-to-art and waste-to-wealth programmes, donation drives, plastic recycling events and ‘Safai Mitra’ welfare and recognition activities.

Khirwar directed zonal officials and heads of departments to ensure time-bound implementation and regular monitoring of sanitation and solid waste management measures across the city.