Indian marble waste dump becomes unlikely tourist attraction

Dubai: A vast expanse of white marble waste in Kishangarh, Rajasthan, is drawing tourists, photographers and filmmakers to a landscape that resembles a snow-covered valley.

Kishangarh, one of India’s major marble-processing centres, generates huge quantities of slurry and discarded stone as marble and granite blocks are cut and polished. The waste is deposited across an 82-acre site that receives more than 5,500 tonnes of slurry a day from more than 1,200 processing units.

Despite its industrial origins, the striking landscape has developed a following of its own. Couples visit for pre-wedding photographs, while filmmakers and music-video crews use the white terrain as an unusual backdrop. Visitors can also be seen riding horses across the undulating mounds.

Social media has helped turn the site into a visual curiosity, with images often drawing comparisons to snowy mountain landscapes. After rainfall, pools of water form between the white waste piles, creating vivid blue patches that enhance the unusual scenery.

However, behind the striking photographs lies a significant environmental concern. Authorities have raised concerns over dust, groundwater contamination and the long-term impact of marble waste disposal.

Environmental studies have reported increased salinity and hardness in groundwater around the area, along with traces of certain heavy metals.

In January, India’s National Green Tribunal ordered corrective measures, including steps to encourage the reuse of marble slurry and improve waste management.

The contrast between the site's photogenic appearance and its environmental challenges has made Kishangarh’s marble dump an unusual example of how an industrial wasteland can become a social media attraction.

Photos: AFP