[en] With the setting up of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre at Trombay, the first nuclear research centre in India, more than two decades ago, the need arose for disposal of the country's low-level radioactive solid wastes. Since then, nuclear power stations and other nuclear installations have been set up in different locations and the major mode of disposal for low-level solid wastes has been in engineered facilities in shallow land. The paper presents an overview of the Indian experience, with shallow land repositories for low-active solid wastes, from the point of view of design, operation and surveillance, at a number of sites. The influence of site characteristics on the design of the repository and the underground disposal modules is discussed. Details of the pre-operational investigations performed at different sites and the scheme for monitoring and surveillance of operating repositories are also included. The paper also presents briefly the type of safety analysis being carried out to evaluate possible environmental impact due to the operation of the shallow land repositories. (author)