Dehradun: : From functional gray and pink toilets to a plastic-free campaign that received little response, TOI looked at civic projects introduced by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) through 2025 and early 2026.In Feb 2025, DMC revamped its waste management system after taking over operations from private contractors and expanded its fleet. Coverage improved from 45% to around 85%, assistant municipal commissioner Rajveer Singh Chauhan said. As much as 3,299.8 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste was cleared in March, followed by 2,265 metric tonnes by mid-April under a 100-day river revival and drain-cleaning drive launched on March 8.In line with Supreme Court’s mandate to remove stray dogs from sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals and bus stands and shift them to shelters, the civic body has identified land for a dog shelter. “The project, estimated to cost Rs 4 crore, will begin after the detailed project report (DPR) is cleared,” senior veterinary doctor Dr Varun Agarwal said.In August 2025, DMC also planned to increase the number of kennels. “At the time of the announcement, we had 72 kennels in Kedar Puram. In another 45-50 days, we will have 150,” Agarwal said.In December, an urban infrastructure and beautification package worth Rs 46 crore was announced, including footpath upgrades, green space development and a gas-operated animal crematorium. “Work is underway at three sites, and the crematorium project has also begun. Visible progress will be seen across all locations within two months,” deputy municipal commissioner Tanvir Marwah said. Plans are also in place to install air pollution control devices at crematoriums under the National Clean Air Programme. “We have sent our plan for approval to the state pollution control board. Once cleared, we will install the device at one crematorium in phase 1. In the next phase, we will cover other major crematoriums,” Marwah said.In Prem Nagar, DMC introduced gray and pink toilets and now plans to expand them across municipal limits after receiving positive feedback, chief municipal health officer Dr Avinash Khanna said.The plastic-free campaign launched in May 2025, meanwhile, saw weak enforcement. In Jan 2026, DMC announced that 30 plastic bottle crushers would be set up in the city; only one is now operational. “A second one is coming up in Gandhi Park. The project is based on a public-private partnership model, so work will move along with available resources,” Dr Khanna said.
