More garbage transfer stations on cards in Hyderabad

GHMC setting up SCTPs to reduce overload of operations and cover maximum catchment area

Hyderabad: Aiming at further decentralisation and better management of the manner in which garbage is being transported to transfer stations, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is setting up more Secondary Collection and Transfer Points (SCTPs) in different parts of the city. With the quantity of garbage being collected increasing each day, the civic body has decided to set up eight more SCTPs immediately to improve waste collection and transportation of garbage.

Already, 11 such points are functioning at spots including Gouthamnagar, Kukatpally, Fatehnagar and Khajaguda, with each one costing Rs 1.3 crore. The eight new ones are part of a grander plan to establish 90 SCTPs across the city in a phased manner. SCTPs are in place of conventional transfer stations with small quantities 50 to 100 tonnes of waste received per day. The waste brought by Swachh Auto Tippers (SATs) is transferred, compacted and lifted by a hook.

There are 17 primary transfer stations across the GHMC limits. The plan for more SCTPs came up with some of these reaching their capacity.

On an average, nearly 6,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated in the city and about 175 trucks are being used to shift the waste from transfer stations to the dumpyard in Jawaharnagar.

Setting up more collection and transportation points will have the SATs collecting waste from colonies and dumping the same at the SCTPs, doing away with the earlier practice of dumping waste directly at the 17 transfer stations. At present, there are around 2,500 SATs for door-to-door collection of wet and dry garbage.

According to the GHMC, more SCTPs will reduce overload of transfer station operations and cover maximum catchment area. They will lead to reduction of waste bins and garbage vulnerable points on streets as well.

Garbage generation doubles in six years

With the population of the city going up along with expansion of the Greater Hyderabad region, municipal solid waste collection has almost doubled in the last six years. When the garbage generated in 2016 was between 3,000 to 3,500 metric tonnes per day, it went up to above 6,000 metric tonnes per day in 2021.

In February, 6,025 metric tonnes of garbage was generated every day. From this, 2,296 tonnes of Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) was produced each day. RDF is a fuel produced from various types of waste such as municipal solid waste, industrial waste or commercial waste.

After segregation of garbage, compost is generated along with RDF. Of the waste, nearly 40 per cent is used for generating RDF and 20 per cent is used for generating compost and the rest goes for scientific landfill.

Rs 409 per tonne to transfer garbage

A few months ago, GHMC roped in Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited to transport garbage from transfer stations to the dumping yard. Majority of trucks being used to shift the waste from transfer stations to the dump yard are operated on a hire basis, for which GHMC pays Rs 409 per tonne.