Budget 2017: Pilot waste-to-energy plant at Delhi railway station to operate by June
Finance minister Arun Jaitley had mention the upcoming waste-to-energy plant at Delhi railway station as a pilot project on the lines of which five more plants will be developed.
The New Delhi railway station will soon have a waste-to-energy plant of its own that will help recycle solid waste generated at the busiest station in the Capital and produce electrical energy.
The national capital is the second city, besides Jaipur, that will have such a solid waste management plant. A reference to this was made by finance minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday. “Pilot plants for environment friendly disposal of solid waste and conversion of biodegradable waste to energy are being set up at New Delhi and Jaipur railway stations. Five more such solid waste management plants are now being taken up,” Jaitley said.
The railways had decided to set up the waste-to-energy plant at New Delhi railway station last year, following directions from the National Green Tribunal.
“The plant is being set up on public private partnership (PPP) mode. RITES, which was nominated as the nodal agency for tendering process, has already issued tenders for the project. Bids are likely to be opened later this month. The initial target for commissioning the project was June this year. We hope to make it operational as targeted,” a senior Northern Railway official said.
Sources said, as per plans, railways will purchase the power generated at the plant at rates applicable for a domestic user and procured energy is likely to cater to the needs of the station. The public transporter could also, in future, procure manure produced at the plant that could be used for horticulture in upkeep of parks on different railway office premises and residential colonies, an official said.
Officials said the upcoming plant, spread over an 15,000 square metre area, will have recycling capacity of 15 tonnes per day.
“The plant will have a minimum life of 12 years. The contractor will operate the plant after commissioning for few years before handing it over to the railways,” an official said.