Delhi: MoU signed to set up 'Arpan Kendras' at 10 Metro stations for project to recycle old clothes

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) 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 the 'Old Clothes Donation' project aimed at reducing textile waste and promoting sustainable practices. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), DMRC Ladies Welfare Organisation (DLWO), State Urban Livelihood Mission (SULM) and textile recycling organisations Clothes Box Foundation and Respun in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to launch the initiative. DMRC Managing Director Dr Vikas Kumar and representatives of partner organisations were present on the occasion. The initiative aims to promote textile recycling, reduce waste going to landfills and create livelihood opportunities for women through a circular economy model. Under the project, 'Arpan Kendras' will be set up at 10 major Delhi Metro stations, where citizens can donate old clothes from 7 am to 7 pm, according to a statement. The project will focus on collecting unused clothes, segregating them and recycling or upcycling them into useful products, it said. Chief Minister Gupta said that the initiative was a step towards environmental protection, effective waste management and women empowerment and the project would encourage citizens to participate in building a cleaner and more sustainable Delhi. She said the collected clothes would be processed scientifically to reduce textile waste and promote sustainable practices. 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, the statement said. The collected clothes will be divided into different categories, with usable items being upcycled by Self-Help Groups (SHGs) into bags, decorative items and other products. Completely unusable clothes will be recycled into raw materials, yarn and fabric, it added. According to the statement, centres will be operated by women associated with SHGs 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. A portion of the donated clothes will also be used by women's groups for making recycled products, which will be sold at the centres, it said, and added that the initiative is expected to provide additional livelihood opportunities while promoting sustainable fashion. 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 project will be led by DLWO, which will coordinate with all partner organisations. The DMRC will provide infrastructure and kiosks, while the recycling organisations will offer technical assistance and training for the initiative, it mentioned. It further said that collected donations will also be digitally mapped to respective Metro stations through a centralised dashboard, allowing officials to monitor collections and ensure transparency in the process. The chief minister said the government plans to expand the initiative beyond the initial 10 centres across Delhi and added that scientific solutions for different categories of waste could help address environmental challenges in the city. PTI SHB SHB KSS KSS