Mumbai: 3 years on, BMC's underground bin project buried in pile of hurdles

An underground dustbin installed at Juhu beach. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Three years after the BMC set aside R4 crore to install underground garbage bins in the city, the project appears to be far from over. The civic body started a pilot project with four bins and then decided to place 20 such containers. But the corporation hit a wall as it didn't have plans to deal with underground utility cables and ducts. In all these years, it has installed just 12 underground bins. More and more cities in the country are adopting underground dustbins as it saves space apart from looking aesthetically pleasing.

In 2018, the BMC bought four bins on a pilot basis. These were supposed to be installed at tourist spots in South Mumbai - two each in A ward (Gateway of India and Fashion Street) and D ward (Girgaum Chowpatty and Forjett Street). Except for Girgaum Chowpatty, spots for the other bins had to be changed for reasons like the spot being a heritage site, public complaints and underground utility services. One of the bins was installed near Cheetah Gate in Fort. The other two were placed at Aksa and Gorai beaches.

Dustbins on roadsides are an eyesore and can spread diseases if not cleared regularly

Later, the BMC sanctioned Rs 4 crore for purchasing 20 more underground bins, each with two compartments for dry and wet waste. "We looked for space. But the footpaths are narrow on main roads, many times a footpath is built over a gutter so there isn't any space underground. There is a network of underground utility lines like gas, water and telephone. We cannot install them in low-lying areas as well," said a ward official from a Western suburb. "The project is in a shell mainly due to the underground network of services, but I will look into it and solve the issues if any," said Sangita Hasnale, deputy municipal commissioner.

Underground bins in Mumbai

>>3 Ankur hospital, Bhandup
>>2 Nair hospital
>>2 Juhu beach
>>2 K D Compound, Kandivali
>>1 Afghan Church, Colaba
>>1 Byculla zoo
>>1 Sandhu Garden, Chembur

First 4 (Pilot project)

Cheetah Gate, Fort
Girgaon beach
Aksa beach
Gorai beach

How the bin works

The underground bins are installed in dug-up chambers with the open end facing the ground. A sensor fitted in the bin alerts workers after it becomes full. The bin is then lifted and the garbage cleared. Each bin comprises two 2.2 cubic metre cabins for dry and wet waste. It can hold up to 500 kg of garbage and each dustbin costs around Rs 20 lakh.

500
Capacity of each dustbin in kilogram