Delhi is introducing dedicated collection centres for damaged or broken idols, offering devotees an alternative to leaving them in public spaces or disposing of them in water bodies.
For many devotees, idols remain closely connected to faith even after they become damaged or unsuitable for worship. To address the disposal of such khandit murtis, the Delhi government has announced plans for dedicated collection centres where people can deposit damaged idols and other religious material.
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Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta recently announced the initiative, saying special centres would be created where devotees could bring damaged idols for respectful disposal. The collected material will be handled through scientific and environmentally responsible methods, according to the government.
What will happen to damaged idols in Delhi?
The initiative aims to provide an organised alternative to a practice seen in several cities, where damaged idols are sometimes left under trees, beside roads, in parks or near water bodies.
Under the proposed system, devotees will be able to deposit damaged idols and leftover puja material at designated collection points. The collected material will then be processed for disposal and recycling through designated systems.
Aastha ka samman bhi. Prakriti ka sanrakshan bhi. Delhi Government is setting up Khandit Murti Collection Centres near temples across the city, offering a dignified solution for sacred idols and puja materials.
— Rekha Gupta (@gupta_rekha) September 21, 2026
Artificial ponds for Ganpati Visarjan will ensure that our… pic.twitter.com/8Mx8sVbW4O
The move also comes amid concerns around the disposal of religious material in water bodies, including the Yamuna. During festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja, devotees traditionally immerse idols in water as part of the visarjan ritual.
While visarjan holds religious significance, the immersion of idols and other puja materials can put additional pressure on water bodies, particularly when the materials used to make idols are not easily biodegradable.
Why is Delhi looking for alternatives to idol immersion?
The dedicated collection centres are intended to address a different situation from traditional visarjan, idols that have already become damaged or khandit and are no longer suitable for worship.
Instead of leaving such idols in public places or disposing of them in rivers and other water bodies, devotees would have designated locations where they can deposit them.
The initiative therefore brings together religious considerations and waste-management concerns. The government has also highlighted the need for more organised systems to handle religious waste while reducing its impact on the environment.
Over 110 ‘Visarjan Patra’ installed across Delhi
According to the information available on the initiative, more than 110 Visarjan Patra have been installed across Delhi for collecting broken idols, puja remains and other religious material.
Earlier, the Shahdara North zone of the Delhi Municipal Corporation had established damaged-idol collection centres at several locations with support from resident welfare associations and other organisations.
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The latest initiative aims to create a more structured system across the city, allowing devotees to use designated collection points rather than leaving damaged idols in public spaces.
The collected material is expected to be handled through scientific and eco-friendly disposal and recycling methods.
For devotees who have a damaged idol at home, the centres could provide an organised way to part with it while remaining mindful of the religious sentiment associated with the idol.