The ambitious underground waste management system introduced in Dharamsala with much fanfare in 2017 has now been scrapped by the local municipal corporation. Over Rs. 40 crore was invested in this initiative that aimed to make Dharamsala India's first “Smart City” with a sensor-enabled underground bin network.
However, over 120 of these bins installed across the city have now been removed as the corporation shifts focus to a door-to-door trash collection model instead. Commissioner Zaffar Iqbal explained that as per the central government's Swachh Bharat policy, municipalities should minimize fixed waste dumping infrastructure and create zero-waste urban spaces. The underground containers had become areas where trash accumulated.
It is reported that while smart technology integration was promised by suppliers, sensors to monitor fill levels remotely were never provided. With bins removed, many areas now lack garbage disposal options for residents and growing tourist footfall. Small, discreet surface bins may be added at busy locations to address this issue.
Ultimately, the well-intentioned but poorly implemented underground waste management scheme has ended up a white elephant for Dharamsala, with forty crore rupees and administrative resources invested having yielded little lasting benefit for the hill town's cleanliness drive. A door-to-door collection model paired with targeted public bins is hoped to serve citizens better moving forward.
