Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd. (BSWML) is actively seeking substantial land – at least 2,500 square meters (approximately 0.61 acres) – in each of the city’s assembly constituencies. The goal is to establish modern secondary waste transfer stations designed to eliminate notorious garbage ‘black spots,’ combat unpleasant odors, and prevent toxic leachate from leaking onto our roads from current compactors. However, securing these large land parcels within the bustling city has proven to be a significant challenge, creating unexpected hurdles for this vital project.
Currently, three such innovative secondary transfer stations are already up and running in Chamarajpet, Sarvagnanagar, and BTM Layout, with another actively under construction in Shivajinagar. Plans are underway, and tenders have been released, to build an additional 23 stations across the remaining assembly segments, a project estimated at a hefty ₹255 crore. Despite the significant investment and clear vision, locating suitable land for these crucial facilities remains an extremely difficult, almost Herculean, task.
Karee Gowda, CEO of BSWML, candidly admits, “Finding such expansive land parcels in Bengaluru is incredibly challenging.” While they are currently negotiating for a plot in Mahadevapura and have pinpointed another in Mattikere, the agency still needs to identify and secure land in 21 other constituencies. Gowda highlights the scale of the problem: “Even for Indira Canteens, securing land was tough, and those required much smaller plots. A waste transfer station, however, demands over half an acre to accommodate the entry and exit of numerous trucks and autorickshaws efficiently.”
Finding land parcels for these transfer stations has become a herculean task
| Photo Credit:
Murali Kumar K.
Introducing the New Waste Management System
Under the current system, autorickshaws collecting waste door-to-door often transfer their loads to compactors directly on city streets, inadvertently creating unpleasant ‘black spots.’ The proposed new system promises a significant upgrade: these autorickshaws will instead converge at dedicated secondary transfer stations – ideally one in each assembly constituency. Here, the collected waste will undergo compaction, reducing its volume by at least 20%. Crucially, any leachate (liquid waste) will be efficiently drained at the station, and the compacted refuse will be securely sealed into specialized, tanker-like cylinders. These cylinders, equipped with their own leachate collection systems, can then be easily loaded onto trucks via trolleys for transport.
Mr. Gowda anticipates a dramatic improvement: “Once all secondary transfer stations are fully operational, we will effectively eliminate unsightly black spots at transfer points. Furthermore, the new compactors on our roads will largely be free of foul odors and leachate leaks.” He also confirmed that the existing fleet of compactors will be phased out, replaced by advanced, technology-driven compactors that utilize these mountable, tanker-like cylinders.
Currently, Bengaluru relies on 4,914 autorickshaws feeding into 593 compactors, with each capable of handling roughly eight to nine tonnes of waste. The introduction of these new, high-capacity compactor vehicles will revolutionize this process, as each can manage up to 16 tonnes. This increased efficiency means fewer compactors will be required, which in turn will significantly decrease the overall number of garbage trucks traversing the city’s busy streets, leading to smoother traffic and reduced environmental impact.