Delhi Metro's Arpan initiative collects 41 tonnes of old clothes

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta praised the Delhi Metro's 'Arpan' initiative for collecting over 41 tonnes of old clothes. These garments are being reused, upcycled, and recycled into new products, promoting sustainability and waste reduction in the capital.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday highlighted the Delhi Metro's Arpan initiative, under which more than 41 tonnes of old clothes have been collected and are being transformed into useful products through reuse, upcycling and recycling processes. She said the initiative is helping provide a practical solution for the disposal of old clothes while promoting sustainable practices in the national capital.

The Chief Minister said the initiative by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is helping address the issue of proper disposal of old clothes while ensuring that discarded garments are converted into useful items instead of becoming waste. "Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's Arpan centres are providing a practical solution for the proper disposal of old clothes and are also playing an important role in converting them into useful products through reuse and recycling," CM Rekha Gupta said.

Over 41 Tonnes Collected Across 10 Centres

According to the Delhi government, 10 Arpan centres set up at Delhi Metro stations have collected 41,181.59 kg of clothes from 3,940 people till August 31. The highest collection was recorded at the Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital centre, where 9,861.40 kg of clothes were deposited, followed by the Shalimar Bagh centre with 9,761.03 kg. Punjabi Bagh West and Shahdara centres collected 6,534.98 kg and 6,386.08 kg respectively. Other centres at Mayur Vihar-1, Hauz Khas, Dwarka-Kakrola, Malviya Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and Mohan Estate also received old clothes from residents.

From Donation to New Products

The collected clothes are being segregated based on their condition and further processed for reuse, upcycling and recycling. Around 4,266 kg of material has been identified for reuse and upcycling, while 29,424 kg has been sent for recycling. Through self-help groups, the clothes are being transformed into products including rugs, folders, key rings, pouches, bags and decorative items. These products are also being displayed and sold at the Arpan centres. The centres have recorded sales worth Rs 27,036 from products made using recycled clothes, according to the Delhi government.

Expansion Plans for a Greener Delhi

To expand the initiative, 10 more Arpan centres are proposed to be opened in January 2027. The proposed locations include Model Town, INA, IP Extension, Paschim Vihar West, Rajendra Place, Janakpuri West, Rajouri Garden, Greater Kailash, Dwarka Sector-10 and Chhatarpur Metro stations.

CM Rekha Gupta said wider public participation would help strengthen the initiative and contribute towards making Delhi cleaner and greener. "The effort is to make the facility of donating old clothes easy and accessible for people and ensure their maximum utilisation while strengthening efforts to make Delhi clean, beautiful and green," she said.

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