Chandigarh | 16 October 2026. A new doorstep collection service for discarded electronic equipment has been launched in Chandigarh, creating a more convenient route for households to hand over old devices through organised recycling channels. The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC), in partnership with Rotary International District 3080, introduced Project Punarjanma on 14 October at Paryavaran Bhawan, Sector 19-B, to mark International E-Waste Day. The project focuses on safer electronic-waste collection, public awareness and the use of authorised recyclers.
Illustrative photo: John Cameron / Unsplash.
The initiative includes a dedicated collection vehicle associated with Shivalik Solid Waste Management Ltd., which was flagged off at the launch. The vehicle is intended to collect unwanted electrical and electronic equipment from residents across the city. The programme was described in coverage of a Chandigarh Administration release on 15 October and in a Times of India report published on 16 October.
What is Project Punarjanma?
Project Punarjanma, whose name refers to giving technology another life, aims to improve how electronic waste is collected and directed towards authorised processing. Discarded computers, mobile devices, electrical appliances and other unwanted equipment may contain materials that should be handled through compliant collection and recycling systems rather than mixed with ordinary household rubbish.
The launch brought together the pollution-control authority, Rotary representatives and other stakeholders. According to the published account of the official event, the organisers also plan awareness activities for residential communities, educational institutions and civil-society groups. The objective is to help people identify the right collection channels and reduce unsafe disposal.
How Chandigarh residents can request e-waste pickup
Residents wishing to hand over old electronic equipment can contact the collection service through the numbers publicised for Project Punarjanma: 98829 71255 or 82880 79366. The Chandigarh Administration’s reported guidance encourages residents to use authorised channels rather than unorganised scrap dealers for e-waste disposal.
People should confirm the types of devices accepted, pickup availability, any applicable collection charges and proof of handover directly with the service before arranging a collection. The published announcement does not establish a fixed daily pickup timetable or a blanket promise of free collection.
Why the collection drive matters for Chandigarh businesses
The project also has a practical business dimension. Offices, technology firms, retailers and service businesses regularly retire computers, peripherals and electrical equipment. A well-publicised route into authorised recycling can make responsible disposal easier to plan, while creating a clearer connection between collection services and the wider formal recycling supply chain.
For the recycling sector, collecting devices separately is an important operational step: mixed or poorly handled material can make compliant recovery more difficult. By promoting organised collection, the programme is intended to reinforce safer handling and resource recovery. Whether it leads to higher recycling volumes, new contracts or measurable employment growth will depend on implementation and has not yet been established by published project data.
Businesses disposing of work devices should verify the collection operator’s authorisation where relevant, keep suitable handover records and address confidential-data removal before transferring computers or storage devices. Those are practical precautions, not services specifically promised by Project Punarjanma.
Chandigarh’s push towards a more circular economy
The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee publishes information on electronic-waste management rules and authorised collection channels. Project Punarjanma adds a visible outreach and collection initiative to that broader regulatory setting. The organisers have described the scheme as a model that could potentially be adopted more widely in the region.
Its immediate significance is therefore concrete but measured: a programme has been launched, a collection vehicle has been flagged off, and residents have been given contact numbers. No verified figures have been published in the cited reports for tonnes collected, revenue generated or jobs created since launch.
What comes next
The next useful indicators will be the service’s actual coverage, frequency of pickups, quantities of material routed to authorised recyclers and any subsequent public reporting. These would help assess whether an encouraging launch becomes a durable part of Chandigarh’s waste-management and recycling infrastructure.
For another local clean-technology policy update, read our report on Chandigarh Housing Board’s rooftop solar NOC waiver.
Sources and reporting note
This report is based on the 15 October account of the CPCC launch announcement, a published account of the Chandigarh Administration’s release, The Times of India’s 16 October coverage, and the CPCC official website for regulatory context. The image is illustrative and does not depict the Chandigarh launch or the project collection van. No independent site visit, collection-volume audit or verification of commercial outcomes has been conducted.