Delhi Metro Arpan Centres collect 41 tonnes of clothes; 10 new hubs by January 2027
Synopsis
Delhi's Arpan Centres — clothes-donation hubs inside metro stations — have pulled in over 41 tonnes of used garments from nearly 4,000 residents in just weeks of operation. Now CM Rekha Gupta wants to double the network to 20 stations by January 2027, turning donated textiles into rugs, bags, and keyrings through self-help groups.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Metro Arpan Centres collected 41,181.59 kg of used clothes from 3,940 residents as of 31 August 2026 .
The highest-collecting centre was Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital at 9,861.40 kg , followed by Shalimar Bagh at 9,761.03 kg .
Around 4,266 kg was set aside for reuse/upcycling and 29,424 kg sent for recycling.
Self-help group products made from donated clothes have generated combined sales of ₹27,036 across the 10 centres .
10 new Arpan Centres are proposed to open in January 2027 at stations including Model Town , INA , Rajouri Garden , and Greater Kailash .
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday, 13 September 2026, announced that the Arpan Centres at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) stations have collected 41,181.59 kg of used clothes from 3,940 residents since launch — and that the government plans to open 10 additional centres by January 2027. The initiative, currently running across 10 metro stations, channels donated clothing into reuse, upcycling, and recycling through self-help groups.
Collection Figures Across Centres
According to an official statement, data compiled as of 31 August shows the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital centre leading collections with 9,861.40 kg, followed closely by Shalimar Bagh at 9,761.03 kg. The Punjabi Bagh West centre contributed 6,534.98 kg and Shahdara added 6,386.08 kg.
The remaining centres recorded: Mayur Vihar-I — 5,189.40 kg; Hauz Khas — 1,680.70 kg; Dwarka-Kakrola — 689.40 kg; Malviya Nagar — 467.40 kg; Lajpat Nagar — 395.70 kg; and Mohan Estate — 215.50 kg. Five of the centres were launched on 3 August, with the remainder becoming operational on 12 and 17 August.
What Happens to the Donated Clothes
Collected garments are sorted into categories based on condition and intended use. According to the official statement, around 4,266 kg was earmarked for reuse and upcycling, while 29,424 kg was sent for recycling — all figures as of 31 August.
Self-help groups are converting donated material into products including rugs, folders, key rings, pouches, bags, and torans, which are displayed and sold at the Arpan Centres themselves. The 10 centres have recorded combined sales of ₹27,036 so far, according to the official statement.
10 New Centres Proposed for January 2027
To extend the programme's footprint across the capital, a proposal has been made to add 10 more Arpan Centres, targeted to open in January 2027. The proposed locations include metro stations at Model Town, INA, IP Extension, Paschim Vihar West, Rajendra Place, Janakpuri West, Rajouri Garden, Greater Kailash, Dwarka Sector 10, and Chhatarpur.
Government's Broader Ambition
Chief Minister Gupta described the Arpan Centres as a practical solution to a common urban problem — how to responsibly dispose of old clothes without them ending up as waste. 'Our effort is to make it easy and convenient for people to donate old clothes and ensure their maximum utilisation, further strengthening efforts to make Delhi cleaner, more beautiful and greener,' she said.
This comes amid growing civic focus on waste reduction in Indian cities, with textile waste increasingly recognised as a significant contributor to urban landfill burden. If the January 2027 rollout proceeds as planned, the network will double to 20 DMRC stations, significantly increasing donation access points across Delhi's metro corridors.
Point of View
036 in total sales across 10 centres is a modest return for 41 tonnes of material, raising questions about whether the self-help group processing pipeline can scale when 10 more centres come online. The January 2027 target also lands just before the Delhi municipal election cycle, which may accelerate political momentum but should not replace a clear metric for textile diversion from landfill. The real test will be whether the recycling and upcycling chain can absorb significantly larger volumes without quality and offtake bottlenecks.
NationPress
13 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Delhi Metro Arpan Centres?
Arpan Centres are cloth-donation facilities set up at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation stations where residents can drop off clothes they no longer need. The collected garments are sorted and sent for reuse, upcycling, or recycling, with self-help groups converting usable material into products such as rugs, bags, and key rings.
How much clothing have the Arpan Centres collected so far?
As of 31 August 2026, the 10 Arpan Centres had collected 41,181.59 kg of used clothes from 3,940 Delhi residents. The Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital centre recorded the highest intake at 9,861.40 kg.
Where will the 10 new Arpan Centres open?
The 10 proposed new Arpan Centres are planned for Model Town, INA, IP Extension, Paschim Vihar West, Rajendra Place, Janakpuri West, Rajouri Garden, Greater Kailash, Dwarka Sector 10, and Chhatarpur metro stations. They are targeted to open in January 2027.
What happens to the clothes donated at Arpan Centres?
Donated clothes are sorted by condition and use — around 4,266 kg has been earmarked for reuse and upcycling, while 29,424 kg has been sent for recycling, according to figures up to 31 August 2026. Self-help groups use the material to make items like rugs, pouches, and bags, which are sold at the centres.
When did the Arpan Centres launch?
The first five Arpan Centres launched on 3 August 2026, with the remaining centres becoming operational on 12 and 17 August 2026. All 10 are located at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation stations across the capital.
