GHMC to set up underground bins

Hyderabad: GHMC has identified locations where underground garbage bins will be installed for the first time. When the 1.5-tonne steel bin is full, it will send a signal to the operator who empties it using a specially designed truck. Each bin will cost the GHMC Rs 5 lakh and the truck Rs 50 lakh.

Explaining the need for the new concept, Mr Srinivas Reddy, executive engineer, solid waste management, said, “Even though the GHMC has removed 1,116 vulnerable garbage points, we still see overflowing dustbins on busy roads and waste being thrown on the road because of the absence of community bins.”

He said the underground bins do not replace the twin-bin policy or disturb the door-to-door collection; they serve commercial areas mainly that have a floating population.

The advantage of underground dustbins is that they improve the aesthetics of a city and free up surface space for other uses. There is no offensive odour and rodents and stray animals cannot reach the piled-up garbage.

The major part of the bin will be under the ground with an inlet to drop the waste. Once the underground bin is full, it will be lifted out by specially designed vehicles and emptied by opening the bottom flap. This helps faster collection with minimum physical contact with the waste. The bins are of various capacities — 3, 2.5 and 1.5 cubic metres or custom-built — and are made of galvanised steel.

Clean look

• How to throw waste in the underground bin: On the surface, there will be a mini-bin with flaps (similar to dustbins found in homes and offices)
• Underground bins will not prevent people from throwing garbage outside the bins, but save space and improve the look of a garbage point.
• Underground bins will displace community bins placed on roads. There will be two bins: For dry waste and for wet.