BMC project to close Mulund dumping ground finds no takers

MUMBAI: Even after extending the deadline for a response to tenders, the civic body did not receive a single bidder for its project to dispose waste and close the 40-year-old Mulund dumping ground.

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With no firms willing to take up the project, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has extended the deadline a second time, to the end of this month.

“If we do not get any bidder even after this extension, we will be forced to relook at the conditions of the tender. At present, we will wait till September 30th before taking any decision,” said Vijay Balamwar, deputy municipal commissioner, solid waste management department.

After a delay of two months, the final tenders for the project were issued in May. Except for four companies that downloaded the tender forms, the interest in the project has been slim.

The illegal dumping of debris at the Mulund landfill, is also a reason behind no response for the project, sources said. Derivable from biodegradable waste, for example, compost has higher resale value as compared to inert waste (debris).

The debris leads to a reduction in the final product and thus a loss to the contractor. The companies will be sole owner of the final product obtained from processing the waste. The BMC can buy the final product, which can be anything from electricity to compost from the companies.