Mumbai develops app to track construction debris disposal

Mumbai's civic body, the BMC, is developing a new app. This app aims to monitor the movement of construction and demolition (C&D) waste. It will help ensure that waste is not dumped illegally in water bodies or open spaces. Under the new system, anyone seeking permission for construction must declare how much debris they will generate. They will also have to choose a dumping site from those approved by the BMC. The app will track the waste from pickup to disposal. It will record routes and the time taken by transporters. The truck drivers will need to download the app and upload images of the debris during collection and dumping. Site operators will also update the system about the amount of debris dumped. If there are delays, drivers must explain why. A BMC official noted that many transporters dump debris in places like water bodies because it's easy and cheap. To address this, the BMC has set up two processing plants, each capable of handling 600 tonnes of waste per day. However, these plants are currently operating at only 60% capacity. The BMC is working to improve the process. They want to ensure that builders and contractors follow the rules about where to dump waste. The updated app will have a list of 11 approved sites, with the new processing plants also included to help manage the waste better.