The BMC has proposed a service-based contract system for solid waste management. Under this initiative, a unified mechanism will handle waste collection, Dr Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner said
The new vehicles (above) will have more capacity than the previous ones. Pic/BMC
Mumbai will soon get a new solid waste compactor that will not discharge leachate on the road, which causes odour, the city civic officials said on Tuesday.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is in the process to invite tenders to appoint a new contractor for the transportation of solid waste to dumping grounds, they said.
"The BMC has proposed a service-based contract system for solid waste management. Under this initiative, a unified mechanism will handle waste collection," said Dr Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner.
The new vehicles will have more capacity than the previous ones.
This will reduce the number of trips and vehicles required.
The current compactors have a 6-tonne capacity, and BMC operates around 1,000 compactors. The new compactors will have a 7-tonne capacity, reducing the number of vehicles needed to 600. With the increased capacity, fewer trips will be required.
"These new compactors will also have an inbuilt leachate holding tank, which will prevent leachate from spilling onto roads during transportation," added Joshi. At least 25 per cent of trips will be reduced.
Meanwhile, Mumbai currently generates around 7,200–7,300 tonnes of waste daily, which requires over 1,334 vehicles.
BMC-owned vehicles will continue to operate, particularly in three civic wards: L – Kurla, M (East) – Govandi, and M (West) – Chembur, which are close to the dumping grounds and therefore excluded from the new model. Additionally, a centralised call centre will be established to ensure timely and effective grievance redressal related to waste management services.
The BMC also plans to clean the city twice a day. Currently, only a few areas, such as Malabar Hill and Shivaji Park, are cleaned twice daily. This system will soon be implemented across the city. "For this afternoon cleaning shift, 3,500 BMC workers, currently working as motor loaders on the compactors, will be deployed," said Joshi. The second shift will run from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The BMC also plans to eliminate community bins. Dr Bhide said, "We are planning to scrap the community bins. As waste collection has improved, community bins are being phased out."
Meanwhile, the BMC last appointed a contractor for waste transportation in 2017. The contract cost was ₹2,000 crore.
The BMC will also use smaller vehicles to carry waste from narrow lanes, 15 per cent of which will be electric. Currently, 46 tempos are deployed to carry dry waste, and this number will be doubled, the officials said.
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