Chandigarh MC plans to upgrade Sec 25 garbage processing plant
To float request for proposal; existing unit has outlived operational life
The Municipal Corporation (MC) will float a request for proposal (RFP) to select an agency for processing dry and mixed waste at the existing 200-tonne-per-day (TPD) dry waste processing plant in Sector 25. The plant will be upgraded to cater to future waste generation.
The proposal was approved by the MC’s General House on Friday. The need for the RFP has arisen as the existing dry waste processing plant, established in 2008, has outlived its operational life.
Following the non-performance of the company operating the plant, the MC took over its operations. The matter is currently pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
During arbitration proceedings, the MC engaged IIT-Roorkee to assess the plant. In its report dated August 9, 2020, the institute observed that the existing machinery had exceeded its useful life.
At present, the facility is being operated by the existing operation and maintenance (O&M) agency using machinery arranged under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The contract is valid until September 2027. However, the existing machinery is inadequate to meet the proposed processing requirements. The proposal seeks a long-term solution by appointing a single agency for scientific processing of dry and mixed waste at the existing facility in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Accordingly, the draft RFP has been prepared to select an agency to operate the plant for a 12-year period, extendable by three years.
According to the proposal, Chandigarh generates around 550 TPD of municipal solid waste (MSW) every day. The existing dry waste-to-refuse-derived fuel (RDF) processing plant has an installed capacity of 200 TPD. The MC plans to augment the facility by installing additional machinery and infrastructure to process both dry and mixed waste.
The upgraded facility will be capable of processing around 100-125 TPD of segregated dry waste and 100-125 TPD of mixed municipal solid waste, taking the total processing capacity to 250 TPD to cater to future waste generation.
The concessionaire will retain the income generated from the sale of byproducts. It will also be responsible for deploying, at its own cost, additional machinery, equipment, tools and manpower required to achieve the prescribed processing capacity and performance standards. No replacement, modification, alteration, dismantling or removal of any existing MC asset will be permitted without prior written approval from the Engineer-in-Charge or the MC.
Upon expiry or premature termination of the concession agreement, the concessionaire will be required to hand over all MC assets in good condition, subject to normal wear and tear. It may remove only the movable assets installed by it after restoring the site to the satisfaction of the MC.
