Delhi govt, MCD look into ISBT at reclaimed Bhalswa landfill site

Delhi plans to build an Inter-State Bus Terminus at the reclaimed Bhalswa landfill, aiming to ease congestion and improve transport by December 2026.

The Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) are exploring the possibility of setting up an Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) on the land reclaimed at the Bhalswa landfill site in north Delhi, officials said.

Bhalswa landfill is spread over 70 acres. (HT Archive)

The Bhalswa landfill is spread over 70 acres, and the Delhi government has set a target of complete reclamation of the site by December 2026. The officials said that MCD has so far reclaimed around 4.5 acres of land through biomining.

A senior official, who was part of the review meeting held between MCD and the Delhi government on Friday, said: “The idea of setting up a new ISBTat the reclaimed land was discussed, and a feasibility study will be undertaken for the project.”

Adding that “the site is ideal for catering to the buses coming from north Indian states via outer Delhi”, the official said a detailed proposal regarding the project will be prepared “in the coming days”.

Operationalised in 1976, the Kashmiri Gate ISBT is the oldest and largest bus terminal in Delhi. However, the increased traffic congestion and vehicular emissions on GT Road and connecting arterial stretches are a major challenge.

According to officials, if the idea sails through, the reclaimed siteat the junction of GT Karnal Road and Outer Ring Road near Mukarba Chowk will cater to the buses coming from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir.

“This will help relieve the pressure of hundreds of buses from Delhi’s roads as well as the Kashmiri Gate ISBT, easing the situation on Ring Road–Outer Ring Road–National Highway-44 (NH-44) stretches,” officials added.

HT on January 31 reported that the Delhi Traffic Police has also recommended a new route for government and private buses plying between Kashmere Gate ISBT and north Indian states. It suggested that buses originating from and terminating at Kashmere Gate ISBT be shifted to the new route via the recently-inaugurated Dehradun Expressway and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE).

The standing committee budget proposals on January 28 had also said that after clearing the Bhalswa, Ghazipur, and Okhla sanitary landfill sites, the reclaimed land will be developed with green spaces, public amenities, and development projects.

Officials said MCD had cleared 15 million tonnes of legacy waste from the three landfills till January 2026, and bids had been invited for the removal of 14 million tonnes of garbage under the third phase. The MCD and the government have set a target to completely eliminate it by December 2026.