Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM Urban 2.0), several cities across India are transforming cleared legacy landfill sites into valuable community spaces.

Current state

• Launched in 2021, the mission aims to remediate all legacy landfills in the country by 2025-2026.
• With 2,421 legacy landfills identified, significant progress has already been made: 474 sites have been remediated, reclaiming approximately 2,617.38 acres of land.
• Cities that have successfully cleared these sites are now creatively repurposing the land, paving the way for new parks, transportation hubs, and other community facilities.
• Noteworthy examples of how different cities are utilizing reclaimed land:
  • Ahmedabad: In Ahmedabad, 4.3 acres of land previously occupied by 230,000 tonnes of waste at the Bopal Ghuma dumpsite have been successfully remediated.
    • The project cost Rs. 4.17 crore, and an additional Rs. 8 crore has been allocated for the redevelopment of this area into an ecological park.
    • The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation now maintains this green space. Work is ongoing at the larger Pirana landfill, which spans 84 acres, with 54% of the land already cleared.
  • Nagpur:  Nagpur has also made significant strides, completely clearing its 35-acre legacy landfill, which held 1 million metric tonnes of waste.
    • The cleared site will serve as an integrated waste management project.
    • The bioremediation process not only removed the waste but also generated refuse-derived fuel and manure, which are being sold, contributing to the city’s sustainability efforts.
  • Pune:  In Pune, the Vanaz landfill has been repurposed as a depot for the city's Metro Rail project. Approximately 3.7 million tonnes of waste have been remediated, clearing 75 acres of land.  The site, now known as the Hill View Park Car Depot, is integral to the Pune Metro initiative.
  • Lucknow:  Lucknow’s Ghaila landfill, which spanned 72 acres and contained 800,000 tonnes of waste, has also been transformed.
    • The site is being developed into the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal park, featuring statues of notable leaders such as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
    • In addition to the statues, the park will include facilities like a 3,000-capacity open-air theatre and exhibition spaces, enhancing community engagement and recreation.