Delhi govt launches 'Arpan Kendras' for old clothes recycling across metro network
Delhi has tied up with DMRC and recycling groups to open Arpan Kendras at 10 Metro stations for old clothes donations. The project links waste reduction with women's livelihoods and could expand across the city.
The Delhi government will set up 'Arpan Kendras' at 10 major Metro stations to collect old clothes from citizens and recycle them into bags, garments, decorative items, yarn and fabric under its 'Old Clothes Donation' project. The initiative aims to reduce textile waste, keep more waste out of landfills and encourage sustainable practices.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the DMRC Ladies Welfare Organisation, the State Urban Livelihood Mission and textile recycling organisations Clothes Box Foundation and Respun in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to launch the project.
Under the project, the Arpan Kendras will be set up at Shahdara, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Malviya Nagar, Hauz Khas, Dwarka, Mohan Estate, Lajpat Nagar, Mayur Vihar Phase-1, Punjabi Bagh West and Shalimar Bagh Metro stations. Citizens will be able to donate old clothes at these centres from 7 am to 7 pm. The project will focus on collecting unused clothes, separating them and then recycling or upcycling them into useful products.
According to the statement, the collected clothes will be divided into different categories. Usable items will be upcycled by Self-Help Groups into bags, decorative items and other products, while completely unusable clothes will be recycled into raw materials, yarn and fabric. A portion of the donated clothes will also be used by women's groups to make recycled products, which will be sold at the centres.
The centres will be operated by women linked to Self-Help Groups under the State Urban Livelihood Mission. They will receive training in textile recycling and upcycling, while Clothes Box Foundation and Respun will provide technical support and manage the segregation and recycling process. The project will be led by the DMRC Ladies Welfare Organisation, which will coordinate with all partner organisations, while the DMRC will provide infrastructure and kiosks for the initiative.
Citizens donating clothes will be able to register their contributions digitally by scanning a QR code at the centres. After entering their details and information about the clothes donated, they will receive a digital certificate. The statement said donations will also be digitally mapped to the respective Metro stations through a centralised dashboard so that officials can monitor collections and ensure transparency.
CM Rekha Gupta said the initiative was a step towards environmental protection, effective waste management and women empowerment, and that it would encourage people to help build a cleaner and more sustainable Delhi. She said the collected clothes would be processed scientifically to reduce textile waste and promote sustainable practices. The chief minister also said the government plans to expand the initiative beyond the first 10 centres across Delhi, adding that scientific solutions for different categories of waste could help address environmental challenges in the city.
The project brings together the Delhi government, the Metro network and recycling groups to collect old clothes, process them scientifically and create more livelihood opportunities for women, while promoting textile recycling across the city.
The Delhi government will set up 'Arpan Kendras' at 10 major Metro stations to collect old clothes from citizens and recycle them into bags, garments, decorative items, yarn and fabric under its 'Old Clothes Donation' project. The initiative aims to reduce textile waste, keep more waste out of landfills and encourage sustainable practices.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the DMRC Ladies Welfare Organisation, the State Urban Livelihood Mission and textile recycling organisations Clothes Box Foundation and Respun in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to launch the project.
Under the project, the Arpan Kendras will be set up at Shahdara, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Malviya Nagar, Hauz Khas, Dwarka, Mohan Estate, Lajpat Nagar, Mayur Vihar Phase-1, Punjabi Bagh West and Shalimar Bagh Metro stations. Citizens will be able to donate old clothes at these centres from 7 am to 7 pm. The project will focus on collecting unused clothes, separating them and then recycling or upcycling them into useful products.
According to the statement, the collected clothes will be divided into different categories. Usable items will be upcycled by Self-Help Groups into bags, decorative items and other products, while completely unusable clothes will be recycled into raw materials, yarn and fabric. A portion of the donated clothes will also be used by women's groups to make recycled products, which will be sold at the centres.
The centres will be operated by women linked to Self-Help Groups under the State Urban Livelihood Mission. They will receive training in textile recycling and upcycling, while Clothes Box Foundation and Respun will provide technical support and manage the segregation and recycling process. The project will be led by the DMRC Ladies Welfare Organisation, which will coordinate with all partner organisations, while the DMRC will provide infrastructure and kiosks for the initiative.
Citizens donating clothes will be able to register their contributions digitally by scanning a QR code at the centres. After entering their details and information about the clothes donated, they will receive a digital certificate. The statement said donations will also be digitally mapped to the respective Metro stations through a centralised dashboard so that officials can monitor collections and ensure transparency.
CM Rekha Gupta said the initiative was a step towards environmental protection, effective waste management and women empowerment, and that it would encourage people to help build a cleaner and more sustainable Delhi. She said the collected clothes would be processed scientifically to reduce textile waste and promote sustainable practices. The chief minister also said the government plans to expand the initiative beyond the first 10 centres across Delhi, adding that scientific solutions for different categories of waste could help address environmental challenges in the city.
The project brings together the Delhi government, the Metro network and recycling groups to collect old clothes, process them scientifically and create more livelihood opportunities for women, while promoting textile recycling across the city.
