Khattar Unveils Ambitious Plans to Clear India's Legacy Dumpsites by 2026
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Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has launched two groundbreaking initiatives – the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) and the Urban Investment Window (UiWIN) – aimed at transforming India's urban landscape. The ambitious projects, unveiled during the National Urban Conclave 2025 in New Delhi, mark a significant step towards building sustainable and investment-ready cities across the country. The two initiatives are designed to achieve the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, where 50% of India's population will live in urban areas. DRAP, a mission-mode effort, targets the elimination of legacy waste dumpsites by September 2026, with the goal of reclaiming valuable land for public use and community development. Currently, 1,428 sites are under remediation, with 80% of the legacy waste concentrated in 214 sites across 202 urban local bodies. To date, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has disbursed ₹4,181 crore for projects worth ₹10,228 crore, benefiting 2,484 urban local bodies across 28 states and Union Territories. UiWIN, a one-stop platform, aims to attract private capital and long-term concessional funding from multilateral agencies to fuel infrastructure growth in cities. MoHUA Secretary Srinivas Katikithala emphasized the need for a collective urban effort to make Indian cities more affordable, secure, and sustainable. The conclave, themed 'Sustainable Urban Development and Governance,' brought together policymakers, urban planners, and experts to chart the roadmap for building future-ready, livable cities. Under DRAP, the Centre will fast-track the remediation of remaining dumpsites, prioritizing high-impact locations that collectively hold around 8.8 crore metric tonnes of legacy waste. The government has allocated central financial assistance of ₹550 per tonne for waste remediation. With UiWIN, the focus will be on promoting Public-Private Partnership-based urban projects to accelerate sustainable infrastructure development. The initiatives are a crucial step towards realising the dream of a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, where all stakeholders, including central and state governments, private players, and individuals, must collaborate and invest substantially in urban development.
