Bhopal, the city of lakes, continues to strengthen its cleanliness efforts with a unique initiative — Kachra Cafe. Introduced by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation in August 2025, the cafe is built on a simple yet powerful idea: making waste resourceful. It aims to change how citizens perceive and engage with waste.According to Swachh Survekshan 2023, Bhopal ranked as the fifth cleanest city among those with populations over one lakh. The city generates around 800 tons of waste per day, compared to 1,100 tons by Indore. Of this, nearly 500 tons is plastic waste.
The first Kachra Cafe was launched at 10 Number Market in August this year, followed by two more at Boat Club (near Bada Talaab which is also a Ramsar site) and Bittan Market — all high-footfall areas.
Kachra Cafe collects 19 types of waste, including paper, glass, metal, plastic, e-waste, and old clothes. Citizens are encouraged to bring segregated and clean items to the cafe.
Each contribution is weighed and converted into digital points, redeemable for snacks or handmade products such as tote bags, envelopes, diyas, and home decor items.
The collected waste goes to the municipal corporation’s Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and is then sent to authorized recyclers registered with the State Pollution Control Board.
A key feature that makes this initiative unique is the participation of women self-help groups (SHGs). Women create and sell snacks and handicrafts made from upcycled materials, turning waste into a livelihood opportunity.
Their income from the cafe has made them financially independent.
Around 10–15 women work at each cafe, handling sales, maintenance, customer interaction, and product creation.
Women Leading the Change“The goal of these centres is to encourage recycling, reduce landfill waste, and create employment opportunities for women,” says Aarti Bhatnagar, a member of the Aakanksha SHG and in-charge of the 10 Number Market Kachra Cafe.
“I was a homemaker before, but after joining Kachra Cafe, I have become financially independent and confident. Now I am able to support my family too.”
On average, 50–60 kgs of waste arrives daily at the cafe, peaking to 150 kgs on Sundays. During festivals, particularly Diwali, waste management becomes a major challenge for the city.
In 2024, Bhopal generated 15 tons of toxic waste on Diwali; in 2025, the figure rose to 20 tons.
To tackle this, Kachra Cafe organizes special waste collection and awareness drives during festivals. This Diwali, it collected 12 tons of waste, including 3 tons of old clothes and 2 tons of old books and paper, much of which was upcycled into creative items such as bottle lamps and glass paintings.
The “cafe look” was conceptualized by Anjita Sablok, Swachhata Brand Ambassador of Bhopal Municipal Corporation, to make the space inviting and participatory. Municipal Commissioner IAS Sanskruti Jain has also appreciated the initiative for its innovation and inclusivity.
Kachra Cafe has redefined waste management by merging circular economy principles with livelihood creation and women’s empowerment.
It demonstrates that effective waste management begins at the source through segregation, awareness, and citizen participation.
As Bhopal aims for higher rankings in upcoming Swachh Survekshan assessments, Kachra Cafe stands out as a replicable, people-driven model for sustainability — proving that small actions can spark big change.
The Analysis is a social impact consulting group based in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
TA is a Bhopal-based policy and development consulting group. We are on a mission to make the development space more inclusive and democratic for students and professionals. Join us on this mission.
