Tenders invited for land recovery at Mulund dump

In an unprecedented move, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has invited tenders for recovery of land at Mulund dumping ground (MDG). Officials confirmed that a number of hurdles are to surface as the project moves forward. The process, to be undertaken by adopting suitable and sustainable technology, is to treat the current 6.24 million metric tonnes of solid waste and transform 24 hectares into public open spaces at the cost of Rs3.63 crore.

The MCGM receives waste to the tune of 9,500 tonnes per day from the 24 municipal wards of Mumbai. This waste is transported and managed at the Deonar, Mulund and Kanjurmarg landfills. The MCGM now intends to recover land at Mulund Dumping Ground (MDG) in Mumbai by adopting suitable technology in respect of the existing garbage dump.

However, as the solid waste management (SWM) department, as per the MSW (M&H) Rules 2000, among others, undertakes the five-year project, officials confirmed that the major struggle starts at locating an agency that will take up the project in the first place.

“It’s a first-of-its-kind project and in the first phase we are trying to reclaim 12 hectares of peripheral land of the landfill to transform it into commutable roads for the department. However, as the dumping at MDG will come to a halt, we are yet to finalise a location to dump the excess waste. The short-listed agency will get a years’ time to do ground research and mobilise a sustainable project,” said an SWM official.

As per the contour survey carried out before inviting the tender, the total volume of existing waste at MDG is approximately 5.24 million cubic metres. Considering the continuous intake of MSW till the commencement of the project, the quantity assumed for the subject project is 6.24 million MT.

A weighbridge system of required capacity for measurement of solid waste to be processed is to be set up at the MDG. While the system will be laced with CCTV surveillance system for monitoring purposes, the contractor is also responsible to set up and operate the treatment plant for effluents if required.