Delhi CM Rekha Gupta launches first ‘Arpan Kendra’ at Punjabi Bagh West Metro station
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday inaugurated the first ‘Arpan Kendra’, an old clothes donation centre, at Punjabi Bagh West Metro station, launching a citywide initiative aimed at reducing textile waste, promoting a circular economy and generating livelihood opportunities for women.
The initiative, launched in collaboration with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Delhi Metro Ladies Welfare Organisation, will see 10 Arpan Kendras established at major Delhi Metro stations. In the first phase, donation centres have become operational at Punjabi Bagh West, Shalimar Bagh, Mayur Vihar Phase-I, Shahdara and Rohini West today.
Speaking at the inauguration, Gupta said a developed Delhi was not defined only by roads, bridges and metro lines, but also by responsible citizens, who conserve resources and protect the environment.
The centres would collect wearable old clothes from citizens for reuse, recycling and upcycling, helping divert textile waste from landfills. The donation process has been made fully digital through a QR code-based system, enabling donors to deposit garments and receive digital acknowledgements, a move aimed at ensuring transparency and encouraging wider public participation.
Highlighting the environmental impact of textile recycling, the CM said that reusing garments helped conserve water, energy and natural resources while reducing waste. She added that every donated garment had the potential to benefit someone in need while contributing to environmental protection.
A key feature of the initiative was the involvement of women’s self-help groups, which would manage the collection, segregation, recycling and upcycling of donated clothes, creating sustainable livelihood for them.
