BMC plans upgrades at five waste centres to increase recycling

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sought approval from its standing committee to appoint government-owned public sector undertaking RITES as a consultant for modernising five dry-waste segregation centres in Mumbai.

The proposed consultancy is estimated to cost around Rs 93 lakh. The civic administration has cited a shortage of dedicated manpower to plan, tender and supervise solid-waste management projects, saying existing officers are unable to devote their full time to these responsibilities alongside their routine administrative work.

The proposed modernisation programme aims to upgrade five centres into material recovery facilities, where recyclable waste can be separated and processed more efficiently.

The consultant’s responsibilities would include technical assessment, project preparation, site inspections, preparation of feasibility reports and tender documents, assistance with tendering, and technical supervision.

BMC collects approximately 6,500–7,000 tonnes of solid waste every day. Of this, around 30–40 per cent is dry waste, including plastic, paper and other recyclable materials.

The civic body has 41 dry-waste centres across the city. Segregation at many of these facilities is currently carried out largely through manual work by waste pickers.

The proposed upgrade would introduce baling machines, conveyor systems and segregation units to improve working conditions and speed up processing.

Waste would be divided into saleable and non-saleable material. Saleable recyclables generate revenue for the organisations and waste pickers working at the centres, while non-saleable waste is sent to the Kanjurmarg dumping ground.

The modernisation proposal is intended to increase the quantity of material recovered for recycling and reduce dependence on landfill disposal.

However, the appointment of RITES remains subject to the civic standing committee’s approval. The consultancy decision itself is not the same as awarding contracts for construction or installation of the proposed equipment.

The proposal has also drawn criticism from some civic representatives over the BMC’s reliance on external consultants for project planning and supervision.

The next steps will depend on approval of the consultancy proposal and the preparation of the technical and tender documents required to implement the upgrades.