Hyderabad: Modernisation works of Tankbund transfer station pick up pace

Hyderabad: As part of modernisation and also to improve the solid waste collection and transportation, the Secunderabad zone of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has planned to transform the existing transfer station at Lower Tank Bund into a Secondary Collection and Transportation Point (SCTP), and the works for these are under process. The GHMC along with Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited (REEL) is taking up the works.

In the existing system, the garbage arriving from surrounding localities is dumped openly at the transfer station. It is then loaded onto trucks, covered with a plastic sheet and then shifted to Jawaharnagar dump yard. Around 750 metric tonnes of garbage is collected at the Tankbund transfer station every day.

"The GHMC has proposed to modernise 17 transfer stations with the Tankbund transfer station being one of them. The works started in the last week of December. Further, to control the bad odour and pests, Citronella is being sprayed regularly and garbage is cleared daily," said Srinivasa Reddy, Executive Engineer, Solid Waste Management, GHMC.

"Our plan is to build a modernised transfer station. Out of 17 transfer stations operating in the city, the modernisation works of seven transfer stations at Mallapur, Devendernagar, Sanjeevaiah Park, Amberpet, Patancheruvu, Jiyaguda and Katedan have already been completed, while the works are under progress at five locations i.e., at Nagole, Yousufguda, Tankbund, Khaitalapur and Jagadgirigutta. The works of remaining transfer stations are yet to start," informed the official.

"Similarly, at Tank Bund transfer station, we are constructing a two-level transfer station. The cost for this project is around Rs 12 crore, and works will be completed within three to four months," said Satya Velluri, Head, Collection and Transportation, Hyderabad Integrated MSW Ltd.

Explaining about the function of Secondary Collection and Transport Point (SCTP), the official added that it was fully-automated and has modern Portable Self-Compactors (PSC). The direct transfer of waste from primary collection vehicles to the PSC ensures minimal manual handling. "The Swachh Auto tippers will dump the garbage collected from houses directly into PSC. The PSC has a tray, which pushes the waste inside and compresses it. Large volumes of waste can be compressed in the container. Once the container is filled, a truck mounts the PSC upon itself and takes it to the Jawaharnagar processing and disposal facility," added the official.