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Chandigarh | Solid waste plant overhaul to see further delay as MC to refloat tender
With Chandigarh MC left with only a single bidder after the disqualification of one firm, it will have to refloat the tender
Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC)’s plan to repair and overhaul the existing solid waste processing plant in Sector 25 has hit a roadblock.
In its second attempt to hire a firm to repair the existing plant, two firms came forward but one was disqualified.
In the first tender floated by the MC, two firms had participated but both were disqualified.
The first time that the MC gets a single bidder, it has to re-float the tender. If in the subsequent attempt too, only a single firm participates in the tendering process, the MC can select the single bidder.
The project, approved by the MC General House, will cost ₹2.6 crore. An additional ₹3.72 crore have been earmarked for the operation and maintenance (O&M) costs for one year.
The MC had first floated the tender in February this year, inviting firms to complete the project.
The repair work includes, replacement of conveyor belts, rollers, motors, gear box complete, primary shredder, trommel, cyclone dust collector, ID fan in dryer, rotary dryer, hot air generator, ballistic separator, trommel in wet waste and ETP plant. One secondary shredder is being replaced along with repair of other machinery.
At present, about 140 tonnes of waste per day is getting processed at the plant. The remaining is thrown at the dumping ground. Officers claim that with the new plan, the entire garbage would be processed daily.
“Due to defunct machinery, the plant does not work properly. With this upgrade of the plant, we shall be able to process all the dry waste (approx 200TPD) being generated in the city. This shall put a stop to waste going to the dumpsite,” said MC official.
Two years since MC took over plant
In June 2020, the civic body took possession of the plant from the Japyee Group, stating that the group was able to process only minimal waste.
Notably, IIT Roorkee in its report in 2020 had recommended setting up of a new “modern” waste processing plant at the existing site in Dadumajra. In its report IIT had stated that even after the existing machinery is repaired, the plant can at best run at only 40% of its total capacity.
“It will take more than 2.5 years for the new plant to become fully operational. In the meantime, we cannot continue to dump unprocessed waste at Dadumajra. So, the existing plant is being repaired so that some stop-gap arrangement exists in the city,” said the official. MC is in the process of floating a tender for a new integrated solid waste processing plant.
