S Delhi to become dhalao-free, SDMC to install 62 more fixed garbage compactors

NEW DELHI: A week after lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung inaugurated the installation of five garbage compact stations in central zone, the South Delhi Municipal

NEW DELHI: A week after lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung inaugurated the installation of five garbage compact stations in central zone, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has planned to open fixed compactor transfer stations at 62 places in south and west zone by year end.

HT Image

The facility compresses the garbage to half its size and transports it directly to the waste to energy plant and landfills, eliminating the role of garbage dumps (dhalaos), which lead to unhygienic conditions in neighbourhoods.

The compacters in central zone are stationed at Captain Gaur Marg near Ring Road Crossing Lajpat Nagar, Tuglakabad Extension (near Tara Apartment), Nehru Camp (Kalkaji), MTNL Office Sarita Vihar and Sewa Nagar in Kotla.

The agency is soon to establish 32 more in south zone and 30 in west zone.

“We will open 15 compacting stations in central zone by October end. In the other two zones, the centre will be made operational by year end and their tendering process is on,” said a senior SDMC official.

Once these compaction centres are in place, the corporation will demolish the dhaloas.

Talking about the functioning of compaction centres, an official said, “To begin with, garbage is collected and segregated via auto-tippers and sanitation workers simultaneously. Then the garbage is transferred to the compactor stations where excess of moisture is extracted from the waste. The machine compresses the garbage in to a ‘cake’ and reduces its volume to half. From here it is lifted via trucks and dumped at the landfill sites.”

The system not just increases the frequency of collecting waste from localities but also saves fuel by reducing the number of trips a truck under takes everyday for carrying garbage from local dhaloas to landfill sites.

“Each compactor comprises of a bin, tipcart, hydraulically operated loading shovel bucket, compressor and hook loader. They are operated with a 7.5 KW motor run by the electricity and consume seven tonne of garbage at a time,” said Puneet Goel, SDMC commissioner.

Standing committee chairman, Shailender Singh, stated that the agency has invested 80 crores in the project. “Apart from establishing compaction centres, which cost 40 lakh each, agency is also investing in infrastructure facilities to implement the project successfully. We have engaged 250 auto tippers, mobile compactors, compactors and hook loaders,” said Singh.

So f ar, SDMC has been dependent on multiple agencies for collection of garbage through auto-tippers and disposal through mobile compactors/dumper placers. This has been costing the agency 2,600 per tonne. The new operation with the integrated operation will cost 1, 727 per tonne.