Trash transfer stations to push up Bengaluru's waste disposal bill

In a major decision, the state government has given nod to the BBMP’s proposal to build three large garbage transfer stations in different parts of the city at a total cost of Rs 305 crore.

The project is aimed at ending the shifting of garbage from auto-tippers to compactors, a practice that’s widely seen as defacing public places.

But the project, which does not include the processing of waste, might financially cripple the BBMP, which wants to spend an average of Rs 38 crore per year to transfer just 10% of the total volume of garbage it collects from across the city.

The project pertains to the installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance (O&M) of transfer stations with a minimum 150 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity for municipal solid waste. As per the government order, the cost of installing three stations is estimated at Rs 36.91 crore while the O&M cost for seven years will be Rs 267.65 crore. The Rs 305-crore project has been awarded to private firm Parishudh Ventures.

Each transfer station is expected to cover at least 10 wards. This means that hundreds of auto-tippers – which currently travel less than 3 km to shift garbage to the compactor – may have to travel up to 10 km to transfer the garbage.

High operation cost

A solid waste management expert said it does not make any sense to spend such a large amount of money just for the transfer of garbage. “The government should be extra careful as it is spending public money. Auto-tippers will be forced to take a longer trip unnecessarily to reach these stations when the transfer of garbage can ideally be done within the ward itself,” the expert said, requesting anonymity.

Interestingly, the concept of garbage transfer stations is not new to the civic body. Although the BBMP had announced setting up 50 mini-garbage transfer stations (with a capacity of 25 tonnes per day as against 150 tonnes proposed now) three years ago, it could establish only around 25 stations so far due to lack of space.

Currently, the BBMP spends Rs 3 lakh (25 tonnes) a month on the O&M of each mini-garbage station. In comparison, the operation of three large stations will be four times costlier as the BBMP plans to spend around Rs 1 crore (150 tonnes) per station per month.