Greater Noida to rope in expert agency, set up facility in Astoli for waste processing

The Greater Noida authority on Monday said it has started the process to finalise an expert agency that can set up a plant to treat mixed waste generated in the city. The new facility in Astoli will have a capacity to treat 800 tonnes of daily waste and can make the city cleaner, said authority officials.

The authority officials said the project will be set up at a cost of ₹55 crore and the tender has been issued to select the expert agency.

The authority is inviting companies to undertake the project, and the last date for submission of bids is December 31, 2024; the construction is expected to start in February 2025, said officials.

“The authority will finalise the successful agency within two months so that the agency can start work on the plant. In the absence of such a plant, the authority finds it challenging to handle the solid waste,” said Ravi Kumar NG, chief executive officer of the Greater Noida authority.

The urban population of Greater Noida has increased from around 100,000 in 2011 to approximately 1.2 million in 2024, according to authority officials.

The authority has planned the facility in compliance with the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and to meet the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which stresses on scientific waste disposal and recycling.

The plant will be constructed under a DBOT (design, build, pperate, and transfer) model through an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract.

“The project will include the design, construction, and commissioning of the waste processing plant as well as its operation and maintenance for at least two years by the selected bidder. The facility will feature advanced technological systems such as digitised weighbridges, CCTV surveillance, firefighting systems, and integration with Greater NOida authority’s IT network to ensure efficient operations,” said another authority official, asking not to be named.

Land at the Astoli landfill site has already been allocated to companies such as Reliance and NTPC for waste management projects, which and these are expected to become functional in a few years. In the interim, to ensure that waste is not dumped on roadsides and vacant plots, the authority has decided to set up this new waste processing facility.

This proactive approach aims to manage waste effectively and maintain cleanliness in the city until the other plants are fully operational. The authority aims to achieve 100% waste processing and recycling, addressing all types of waste, including wet and dry.

A senior official stated that the plant is critical to ensuring the city’s cleanliness and efforts are being made to operationalize it at the earliest.