Kishangarh Dumping Yard or Kishangarh Marble Slurry Dumping Yard is a dedicated waste disposal site for marble processing by-products located near Kishangarh in Ajmer district, Rajasthan, India. Over time, calcium‐carbonate–rich slurry has built up into vast white “mountains,” turning the site into a popular tourist destination for photographers and pre-wedding shoots.
History.
Marble cutting and polishing in Kishangarh expanded rapidly in the late 20th century, producing large volumes of slurry and debris. To contain environmental hazards, RIICO allocated an 82-acre plot to the Expo Kishangarh Marble Industries Association in the early 1980s, initiating formal dumping operations.
Location and management.
The yard lies on Paryavaran 2nd Road within the RIICO Industrial Area, approximately 1.5 km from the Kishangarh Marble Association office. Entry is free upon presentation of a token issued by the association office. Oversight and safety enforcement fall under the District Mining Office, with guidance from the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board.
Operations.
During peak periods, a truck arrives roughly every ten minutes, offloading slurry which is then reshaped into the yard’s characteristic mounds by excavators.
Environmental impact.
Marble slurry consists of fine particles (<75 μm) that can smother farmland and impair soil fertility. Groundwater testing within 6 km of the site has recorded Total Dissolved Solids up to ten times the Bureau of Indian Standards limit, with elevated fluoride and heavy metals threatening drinking water and irrigation.
Regulatory framework.
In 2013, the Central Pollution Control Board released draft guidelines recommending engineered containment, effluent treatment, and routine monitoring for marble slurry in Rajasthan.
Tourism and popular culture.
industrial waste site—often nicknamed the “Snow Yard” or “Moon Land of Rajasthan”—offers stark, undulating landscapes that evoke glacial fields more than an Indian desert The Kishangarh Dumping Yard popularly known as Switzerland of Rajasthan. The surreal white landscape has featured in Bollywood shoots and is likened to “budget Ladakh” or “Greece in the desert.” Commercial photography attracts fees, supporting local livelihoods in tourism and waste‐recycling ventures.