These Indian Cities Turned Toxic Dump Yards Into Sports Grounds and Green Spaces in 2025

Dec 29, 2025, 04:00 PM
Photo Credit : The Better India

In 2025, forgotten landfills found new purpose across India. What were once toxic dump yards are now thriving sports hubs and green zones — proof that cities can heal if there is vision and will.

Photo Credit : Anuj Mehta for Juhu Reads

📍Laloor, Thrissur, Kerala

A former landfill in Laloor has transformed into the I. M. Vijayan Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, giving local youth safe playfields and a cleaner neighbourhood.

Photo Credit : @GreatKerala1/X

📍Eloor, Ernakulam, Kerala

Eloor municipality converted a dumping ground into a football field, showing how small towns can reclaim polluted land for community sports.

Photo Credit : Indian Express

📍Kumbh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

IAS Chandra Mohan Garg led the transformation of a dump yard into a dense urban forest, restoring ecological balance via the Miyawaki method.

Photo Credit : PIB

📍Rajkot, Gujarat

Burdened with 16 lakh tonnes of waste, a decades-old dumpsite now hosts a 20-acre urban forest.

Photo Credit : PIB

📍Noida, Uttar Pradesh

The Noida Jungle Trail, India’s largest scrap-based jungle safari, features 650 metal animal sculptures made from recycled waste. The park opened to the public in December 2025.

Photo Credit : @jungletrailofficial/Instagram

📍 Malappuram, Kerala

A two-decade-old waste dump was cleared and reclaimed into a five-acre green space, offering Malappuram residents fresh air, open land, and a symbol of environmental recovery.

Photo Credit : Sakeer Hussain

📍Pratap Vihar, Ghaziabad

A former dump yard now blooms as dense green land using the Miyawaki forest method, proving that rapid afforestation can revive even the most degraded urban spaces.

Photo Credit : Nature Monks Foundation

Why these changes matter

These projects reduce pollution, create public spaces, and inspire civic pride—showing sustainable urban renewal is possible when waste is seen as a starting point.

Photo Credit : Shutterstock

A cleaner future

From sports complexes to urban forests, India’s landfill transformations in 2025 remind us: with intent and innovation, even the dirtiest corners can grow into thriving community hubs.

Photo Credit : Shutterstock