Drop Off Old Clothes at Delhi Metro Stations; DMRC is Recycling Them

Delhi Metro’s 'Arpan' centers have launched an initiative to prevent old clothes from becoming waste by transforming them into new products. So far, over 41 tonnes of clothing have been collected, and plans are underway to expand this campaign.

If you have clothes at home that are no longer in use, instead of throwing them away, you can drop them off at Delhi Metro’s Arpan centers. Under this initiative, old clothes are being reused and converted into new, useful items. Approximately 4,000 people have joined this campaign so far.

By August 31, more than 41,181 kg of old clothes had been collected across Delhi Metro’s 10 Arpan centers, contributed by around 3,940 individuals. These clothes are sorted based on their condition and then sent for immediate reuse, upcycling, or recycling.

Bags and Rugs Being Made from Old Clothes

A portion of the collected clothing is being used to manufacture new items instead of being discarded as waste. Approximately 4,266 kg of material has been set aside for reuse or upcycling. Self-help groups are crafting items such as bags, pouches, rugs, folders, keyrings, and *torans* (decorative hangings) from these clothes.

Sales of Products Made from Old Clothes Exceed ₹27,000

This initiative goes beyond mere collection; products crafted from the donated clothes are displayed and sold at the Arpan centers. According to official data, sales of these products have generated ₹27,036 so far. Meanwhile, approximately 29,424 kg of clothing has been sent for recycling.

Highest Volume of Clothes Collected at These Centers

Among the 10 centers, the Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital Metro Station recorded the highest collection, receiving over 9,861 kg of clothing. Subsequently, approximately 9,761 kg of clothing arrived at the Shalimar Bagh center. The centers at Punjabi Bagh West and Shahdara also collected significant quantities of used clothing.

Plans to Open 10 More Centers by 2027

Plans are also underway to expand this used-clothing collection network in Delhi. A proposal has been made to launch 10 additional 'Arpan' centers in January 2027. These include locations at metro stations such as INA, Rajendra Place, Janakpuri West, Rajouri Garden, Greater Kailash, Model Town, and Dwarka Sector-10.