Ranchi Municipal Corporation has turned discarded tyres into colourful planters along the Harmu River, using the waste-reuse initiative to add greenery to a public space and promote the idea that discarded materials can be put to productive use.
The project is being carried out under the “Kabaad Se Jugaad” theme of the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, which is running from September 17 to October 17 under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The old tyres have been painted and converted into plant pots along the riverfront.
The initiative combines two municipal objectives: encouraging the reuse of materials that might otherwise be sent for disposal and improving the appearance of a prominent urban public space. The work at the Harmu River is intended to demonstrate how discarded items can be adapted for civic use rather than treated only as waste.
The Ranchi Municipal Corporation has also undertaken beautification work at Zakir Hussain Park as part of the campaign. In addition to tyres, the corporation is promoting the reuse of plastic, metal and wood through scrap-reuse activities across the city.
The campaign places material reuse within a broader cleanliness and community-participation programme. Rather than focusing only on the removal of waste, the municipal effort is using visible installations to show residents how materials with limited immediate value can be repurposed in neighbourhoods and public areas.
Shivam Singh, a scrap artist involved in the initiative, said discarded items such as old tyres could be creatively reused instead of becoming waste. “Through Kabaad Se Jugaad, we want people to see waste as a resource and adopt similar practices in their homes and neighbourhoods,” he said.
The use of tyres as planters also gives the initiative a visible street-level presence. Placed along the riverfront, the painted containers are designed to add colour and greenery while making the reuse message part of the everyday public environment. The approach links sanitation-related outreach with the maintenance and visual improvement of shared urban spaces.
The Swachhata Hi Seva campaign will continue until October 17, with the Ranchi Municipal Corporation using the remaining period to conduct cleanliness-related activities and promote the reuse of discarded materials. Further activities under the campaign are expected to focus on community participation, sanitation and creative reuse across the city.