From Dumping Ground To Green Dream: How Agra Reclaimed Its Future

Back in 2007, Kuberpur on the outskirts of Agra was just another dumping ground. Thousands of tons of waste were piled up here every day by the Agra Municipal Corporation. Over time, it became more than just a landfill and it turned into a health hazard, an environmental risk, and a stain on the city’s legacy. But then came a turning point in 2019. Under the leadership of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, Agra decided it was the time for a massive change. 

Clean-Up and Reinvention
Agra teamed up with SPAAK Super Infra Pvt. Ltd. and began the massive task of cleaning up the old landfill using bioremediation and biomining, fancy words for smart, scientific waste removal. But clearing the old waste was only one part of the plan. Fresh garbage was still coming in daily. So, what did the city do?

It built a waste-to-compost plant, first handling 300 tons every day, then expanding it to 500 TPD. Soon, four more Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) popped up across the city, capable of managing 405 TPD of waste and then Agra made waste segregation at home mandatory and ensured that every household’s waste was collected from the doorstep. Talk about starting from the roots!

What That Land Looks Like Today?
Remember that massive 47-acre dumping ground? It’s now barely recognisable. A total of 1.9 million metric tons of legacy waste has been removed. With an investment of ₹320 crores, every rupee has proven to be worthwhile. Ten acres of the reclaimed land now flourish with dense greenery. Another five acres have been developed into a modern sanitary landfill for safe disposal of non-recyclable waste. The remaining land is being transformed into an eco-zone, and work has already begun on creating a 10-acre urban forest. In January 2025, Agra launched a Plastic Waste Processing Plant that turns waste plastic into affordable water pipes for farmers. That’s circular economy in action.

A New Classroom for Climate Action
Today, this site isn’t just about managing waste, it’s a living and breathing classroom. Students from schools, IITs, and research institutes visit to learn how sustainable cities are built. What once made people hold their noses now makes them nod in admiration.

A Model for Every Indian City
Agra’s work is a glowing example of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 in motion. It shows how waste management isn’t just about cleaning streets but it’s about transforming lives, saving land, and building a better tomorrow.

So next time someone says a landfill is just a dumping ground, tell them about Agra, a city that turned waste into wonder, and landfills into landmarks. Let this be your reminder: Real change begins with one step, one city, one green dream at a time.