Faridabad waste inflow strains Gurugram’s Bandhwari landfill capacity

Around 1,000 tonnes daily add to costs, pressure; MCG may oppose move as NGT 2027 legacy waste deadline risks delay amid processing gaps

The continuous inflow of municipal waste from Faridabad to Gurugram’s Bandhwari landfill has emerged as a growing financial and environmental concern for the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), with officials indicating the issue may soon be formally raised in opposition.

MCG weighs formal objection; 1.6 million tonnes waste amassed in a year as delays widen gap between waste generated and processed (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Nearly 1,000 tonnes of waste from Faridabad is being transported daily to the Bandhwari landfill, civic officials said, adding that the additional burden has significantly increased operational costsfor Gurugram, which is already struggling to manage its own waste generation of around 1,200 tonnes per day.

The landfill, located along the Gurugram–Faridabad road, has accumulated over 1.6 million tonnes of waste within a year, raising concerns about environmental sustainability and capacity. Officials said the rising inflow has further strained existing waste management infrastructure, with only a portion of Gurugram’s daily waste being processed while the rest continues to be dumped.

The Bandhwari landfill currently receives around 2,000 tonnes of mixed, unsegregated waste daily from Gurugram and Faridabad, officials said, with only a portion processed on time and the rest continuing to be dumped.

While legacy waste remediation capacity is estimated between 4,000 and 10,000 tonnes per day, depending on plant efficiency, delays and operational gaps have created a persistent mismatch between waste generated and waste processed, leading to continued accumulation at the site.

“The increasing cost and pressure due to external waste are becoming unsustainable. The issue is likely to be raised in the municipal council, and a formal objection may be recorded,” said executive engineer (MCG) Sandeep Sihag.

Waste processing at the site is currently being handled by two agencies, but officials admitted to HT on condition of anonymity that efficiency is being impacted due to the growing volume.

Faridabad Municipal Corporation officials said efforts are underway to establish a material recovery facility (MRF) to process waste locally. “Once the MRF becomes operational, waste transportation to Bandhwari will be reduced,” a senior MCF official said. Sites are yet to be finalised; locations are likely to be identified by next month, officials said.

The National Green Tribunal has set a February 2027 deadline to clear legacy waste at Bandhwari, but officials said continued external dumping could hinder the target. MCG has written to Faridabad, urging local processing. “Each city must handle its own waste. Continued dumping at Bandhwari is not a sustainable solution,” said Sihag.