Five Delhi Metro stations have clothing donation boxes; five more planned

Delhi Metro commuters can donate old clothes at Arpan Kendra collection boxes installed at five stations: Punjabi Bagh West, Mayur Vihar Phase-I, Shalimar Bagh, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital and Shahdara.

The boxes operate from 7am to 7pm. At Punjabi Bagh West, Mayur Vihar Phase-I and Shalimar Bagh, they are near Gate 2. At Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, the box is between Gates 1 and 2, while the Shahdara box is near Gate 1.

Donors can scan a QR code at the kiosk and enter brief details about the items. A digital certificate is issued after the donation is verified. Collections are monitored through a centralised dashboard.

The garments will be sorted after collection. Clothes in good condition are intended for distribution through NGOs. Textiles that are not wearable but have usable fabric may be upcycled into items such as bags and decorative products by self-help groups. Such recycled and upcycled products are planned to be sold through Arpan Kendras.

Additional boxes are planned at Hauz Khas, Malviya Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Dwarka and Mohan Estate Metro stations. The service provides commuters with a designated drop-off option for unwanted clothing.