Pune:
Event Context
While the PMC has floated a tender for setting up a plant processing 300 tonnes-per-day (TPD) biodegradable municipal solid waste (MSW) into CBG at an estimated cost of ₹82.10 crore, the chosen concessionaire will now have to identify suitable land, bear the cost of acquiring or arranging it, and obtain all statutory and environmental clearances before commissioning the project under the revised tender. As per the revised tender, apart from establishing the CBG facility, the concessionaire will also have to undertake secondary collection and transportation of MSW for the civic body. The concession period is 22 years, comprising two years for establishment and trial operations; followed by 15 years of operation and maintenance, with an option to extend the contract by another five years.
A senior PMC solid waste management official said, “The contractor has been asked to arrange land at its own cost for setting up the CBG plant. The decision has been taken to avoid delays arising from public opposition to projects proposed on PMC-owned land. The bidder will also have to secure all mandatory environmental and statutory clearances before commissioning the project.”
Team Analysis
To avoid delays caused by public opposition to garbage processing projects proposed on Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-owned land, the civic body has directed the contractor for its proposed ₹82.1 crore compressed bio-gas (CBG) plant to arrange its own land for the facility instead of relying on civic-owned plots. The decision comes after the residents of Sus, Baner and Bavdhan have repeatedly protested waste processing facilities, citing concerns over foul odour, air pollution and environmental impact.
The revised approach follows a series of public protests against garbage processing facilities in western Pune. In 2025, residents of Baner and Sus opposed a proposed waste processing facility on Sus Road, citing concerns over foul odour and air pollution. Earlier in 2019, the PMC scrapped a proposal to acquire land for a garbage processing and disposal facility in Bavdhan after sustained opposition from local residents.
Match Outlook
Madhav Jagtap, head of solid waste management, said that shifting the responsibility of land selection to the contractor is expected to reduce implementation delays and minimise disputes over the location of future waste management projects.
The aforementioned project is aimed at reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill sites through scientific processing of biodegradable waste. “The proposed plant will process 300 TPD of wet waste to generate CBG, supporting the city’s waste-to-energy initiative while strengthening scientific waste management.”
