India, Jan. 1 -- While 2025 tested the region's waste infrastructure, the start of 2026 marks a decisive pivot toward a "zero-waste" tricity. Chandigarh is moving past legacy mining to establish a permanent integrated solid waste management plant, while Mohali and Panchkula have finally cleared bureaucratic hurdles. What it means: The shift represents a move away from the "dump-and-clean" cycle toward daily, real-time processing. By securing the Samgoli approach road in Mohali and reaching the 95% completion mark for Panchkula's Alipur MRF, the administrations have finally addressed the "missing links" that caused the 2025 hiccups. What next: Panchkula aims to operationalise the Alipur facility by March, allowing for the restoration of Jhuriwala site. In Chandigarh, focus shifts to awarding contract for new 600 TPD plant, while Mohali's Samgoli site will begin receiving daily waste as soon as the 1-km access road is completed....