Waste pick-up delayed as transfer facility shuts temporarily

The refuse transfer facility site in Kurla which is operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been shut for nearly a week causing a backlog of garbage collection in three wards. The shutting of the Kurla facility has forced smaller vehicles from the ward to directly go to Govandi or Kanjurmarg dumping site for disposal

Mumbai: The refuse transfer facility site in Kurla which is operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been shut for nearly a week causing a backlog of garbage collection in three wards.

Mumbai, India - March 09, 2023: Garbage thrown on the roadside outside Shri Ganesh Vidya Mandir High School, Sant Kakkayya Marg, Dharavi, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, March 09, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The shutting of the Kurla facility has forced smaller vehicles from the ward to directly go to Govandi or Kanjurmarg dumping site for disposal.

A waste transfer facility is a site where the municipal solid waste (MSW) collected in small vehicles from nearby wards are unloaded. The waste is then loaded in large closed-body refuse vehicles and transported to the dumping ground for final disposal. At present, there are four refuse transfer stations in the city—Mahalaxmi, Kurla, Versova and Gorai.

The Kurla site is spread over 3,000 square metres and has a capacity to process around 700 mega tonnes of waste daily. The wards that send their waste to Kurla are G North (Mahim, Dharavi, Dadar), F North ward (Sion, Wadala, Matunga), H East ward (Bandra, Santacruz east), H West ward (Bandra, Khar, Santacruz west) L ward (Kurla, Chandivali, Powai) and K East ward (Andheri Vile Parle east).

G North is one of the worst affected wards. Ataul Khan, an activist from Dharavi, has been flagging the issue of waste piling up since Wednesday using social media platforms. “There are many spots across Dharavi that are filled with waste. Sion Mahim Link Road, Jasmine mill road, 90- and 60-feet road are some of the major spots. The residents are forced to bring their dustbin and dump garbage in nearby bins or garbage dump,” Khan said, adding that when he contacted the G North ward officials, he was informed of the backlog of waste pick up due to Kurla site being non-functional.

However, Dharavi is not the only case. Manish Valanju, assistant commissioner, K East ward, said, “The Kurla refuse transfer station being shut is causing a backlog everywhere in the ward.” “Previously the vehicles would go to the refuse transfer station, empty vehicles and come back quickly to make a second round. Now they have to go all the way to Govandi and can only make one round,” he said, adding that they are looking to divert some vehicles to a small transfer station in Versova to reduce the load.

Mahadev Shinde, assistant commissioner, L ward, also said that there is some backlog in the ward, but it is not major so far. “Our SWM department is taking a lot of effort and is able to manage the backlog to some extent.”

According to a BMC official, the Kurla refuse transfer station was temporarily shut since the contractor’s term had ended and the department was awaiting final approval from the additional commissioner (solid waste management) to appoint a new contractor.

When contacted, Asheesh Sharma, additional municipal commissioner (Solid Waste Management), had on Thursday said, “There is a change of guard taking place. The previous contractor had to wrap up his resources and a new contractor will come in. The new contractor will be there soon and the problem of vehicles having to take longer trips will be resolved in a few days.”