Gandhinagar's RRR centre fights plastic pollution with recycled cloth bags

The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) is showcasing an innovative model that simultaneously tackles plastic pollution and creates dignified employment for local women. 

At the Sector-21 vegetable market, the corporation has set up a unique facility where citizens can drop off old, unusable clothes.

Women employed there promptly convert these into sturdy, attractive cloth bags. The service is completely free for citizens, with GMC covering the salaries of the women workers.

Launched as an RRR (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Centre in August 2025, the Sector-21 project received an overwhelming response. Encouraged by its success, GMC established a second RRR Centre at TP-9 Guda Garden in April 2026 to expand the campaign across the city.

The initiative perfectly aligns with the theme of a “green and clean” Gandhinagar. By promoting cloth bags made from recycled household clothes, it directly reduces the use of single-use plastic bags, which are a major environmental hazard.  At the same time, it provides stable income and skill-based employment to many local women.

Officials describe the project as a “home-made revolution” against plastic pollution. Citizens are increasingly participating by donating old garments, turning waste into useful products and supporting both environmental sustainability and women’s empowerment in the process.