These mountains of garbage, which have been an eyesore for a long time, may soon be a thing of the past as the Central government nudges states to improve sanitation and free up land for public utility development. 

The country has been steadily making an effort to remove over 2,400 legacy dumpsites under the Swachh Bharat Mission. The initiative aims to free up approximately 15,000 acres of land, with a value estimated to be running into thousands of crores of rupees, across cities and towns in the country.    

According to government estimates, the value of this land is estimated to be anywhere between ₹30,000 crore and ₹1.2 lakh crore. Once freed, the government is planning to build public utilities and infrastructure, like green spaces, parks, monuments, and metro depots, on these land parcels.

Legacy Dumpsites

Not just a symbolic cleanliness campaign, the aim is to remove the infamous mountains of garbage that can be seen strewn across all major cities of the nation. Legacy dumpsites are used by urban local bodies for the disposal of municipal solid waste. These sites are spread across 30 States and Union Territories, covering 200 urban local bodies.

Formed over decades of unplanned and unscientific waste disposal, these sites are occupying vast tracts of land and pose serious environmental and public health risks for people living near them.

The removal of “garbage mountains” is being termed as an attempt at correcting long-standing failures in how our cities manage waste.  

Incentives To End Dumpsites

Under the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP), 214 dumpsites have been identified as high-impact sites because they together contain nearly 80% of India’s remaining legacy waste.

These sites account for approximately 8.6 crore metric tonnes of accumulated waste and have therefore been prioritised for accelerated remediation. The approach to addressing legacy dumpsites follows a double-pronged strategy to remove old dumpsites and prevent new ones by setting up waste processing facilities.

The Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has extended Central Financial Assistance of ₹4,206 crore for projects worth ₹10,308 crore, benefiting 2,489 urban local bodies across 29 States and Union Territories for legacy dumpsite remediation.

To support the DRAP initiative, the Ministry provides additional financial assistance to cities based on their micro-plan on a case-by-case basis, considering an estimate of ₹550 per tonne for legacy waste remediation.

There have been some notable successes. In a few cities, including Delhi, Jaipur, Indore, and Bhopal, dumpsites are being converted into parks, transit hubs, and community spaces.

Dumpsites Crisis

Currently, remediation is underway at 1,428 dumpsites across the country. Over 62% of legacy waste has already been processed.

Cities currently produce nearly 1,62,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste each day, and total waste generation is projected to increase to 165 million tonnes by 2030 and 436 million tonnes by 2050.

Environmental Issues

These dumpsites adversely affect the surrounding environment by contaminating groundwater and soil, degrading air quality, and releasing methane. Such dumpsites also pose fire hazards, attract disease-carrying vectors, and emit toxic fumes, leading to long-term health risks for nearby communities.

Decomposing waste releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas, often leading to fires that blanket nearby areas in toxic smoke. Leachate from these sites contaminates groundwater and soil, affecting both ecosystems and human health.

Policy Framework

Launched in 2021, Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0 sets an ambitious goal: to achieve “garbage-free cities” by eliminating legacy dumpsites by 2026.

The Centre launched the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) in November 2025 to achieve “Lakshya: Zero Dumpsites” by October 2026, with most dumpsites targeted for clearance within this timeframe.  

Speaking to The Secretariat, Jitendra L. Bhople, Secretary General, Institute of Town Planners, said that scientific management of fresh waste, including segregation at source and improved processing capacity, is required across the country. "Reclamation of land, with cleared sites repurposed for public infrastructure, green spaces, or other urban uses. Alongside this focus should be on proper disposal of the largest and most hazardous sites to speed up visible impact," Bhople added.

However, progress across the country has been uneven. A large share of legacy waste remains untreated, and many projects are still in early stages. The gap between targets and outcomes suggests that while the direction is clear, implementation remains a challenge.

Key Constraints

Smaller towns and rural areas struggle to implement complex processes like biomining. Administrative bottlenecks, delays in awarding contracts, and inconsistent monitoring have also slowed progress.

Moreover, even as legacy waste is being cleared, cities continue to generate large volumes of daily waste. There aren't proper systems for segregation and processing for handling such a large volume of waste generated by the urban areas. Involvement of multiple agencies in waste management is also creating coordination gaps.

Clearing over 2,400 dumpsites under Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0 represents both an opportunity and a test. There is an opportunity for the government to reclaim land, reduce pollution, and improve the quality of life, while also fixing the structural weaknesses of urban governance and service delivery.