BMC rolls out 44 e-compactors to curb Kanjurmarg stench

“The new compactors have been specially designed to ensure there is no scope for leakage while transporting waste,” said Kiran Dighavkar, deputy municipal commissioner, solid waste management (SWM).

Mumbai: In a major push to tackle the persistent stench from the Kanjurmarg dumping ground, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will deploy 44 electric compactors from August and set up a plant at Deonar to convert wet waste into piped natural gas (PNG), civic officials said.

BMC rolls out 44 e-compactors to curb Kanjurmarg stench

The compactors will collect wet waste from hotels, restaurants and 96 municipal markets across the city. The move is aimed at preventing leakage of leachate, a liquid released from decomposing waste, from garbage transport vehicles, which has been identified as a key cause of the foul odour around Kanjurmarg. The BMC currently imposes a ₹50,000 penalty for leachate spills from collection vehicles.

“The new compactors have been specially designed to ensure there is no scope for leakage while transporting waste,” said Kiran Dighavkar, deputy municipal commissioner, solid waste management (SWM).

The wet waste will be transported to a proposed compressed biogas (CBG) facility on an eight-acre plot at Deonar by Mahanagar Gas Limited. This plant would then convert wet waste into compressed biogas that can subsequently be processed into PNG, making it Mumbai’s first BMC-initiated project to convert wet waste into PNG.

Commenting on the proposal, Ganesh Khankar, Leader of the House in the BMC, said the ruling party viewed such initiatives positively. “Managing waste, reducing odour and generating energy from waste instead of allowing garbage to pile up are important. We will examine whether the proposal fits within the rules,” he said.

According to civic officials, the proposed Deonar plant has been designed to minimise odour during processing, with waste to be unloaded and covered immediately to prevent foul smell from escaping.

Sanjay Yelve, a petitioner before the Bombay High Court, said, “Similar assurances have been given earlier, but residents are yet to see a lasting solution. We will have to wait and watch.”