Chandigarh MC says on track to become India’s first landfill-free city

According to the civic body, initiated on January 25, the project has already processed 70–75 per cent of the legacy waste, overcoming major hurdles posed by the rainy season, which brought over 45 rain-hit days in the past six months, each stalling operations for more than two days. Despite this, it significantly scaled up its efforts — deploying 15 to 20 times more machinery and manpower, and operating in dual shifts with support from two major public sector undertakings (PSUs) and the existing agency.

According to a report released on July 21 at 5 pm, only 59,000 metric tonnes of legacy waste now remain at the site.

Officials say this final bioremediation phase not only ends the city’s dependency on landfills but also positions Chandigarh as a national model of circular waste economy and sustainable governance.

Municipal Commissioner Amit Kumar called the development a landmark achievement, a “declaration of Chandigarh’s commitment to smart, sustainable urban growth”.

The project has also addressed complex challenges such as leachate control, fire safety, radiological assessment, and environmental compliance under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ Star Rating Protocol for garbage-free cities.