Regulatory Clearance for Deonar Legacy Waste
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board issued a Consent to Operate (Part) on August 21 for the Deonar legacy-waste biomining project, as reported by The Times of India. The approval permits operations at a capacity of 15,000 metric tonnes per day and covers the scientific treatment of approximately 18.5 million tonnes, or 185 lakh tonnes, of accumulated waste. The broader aim is to reclaim roughly 110 hectares of land at the site.
Deonar dumping ground spans nearly 120 hectares and ranks among the oldest and largest such facilities in India, having received waste since 1927, according to The Times of India. Despite partial capping, substantial volumes of legacy waste continue to present environmental and public-health challenges, including periodic fires, methane emissions and leachate seepage. Mumbai generates around 7,000 metric tonnes of solid waste each day.
Biomining Process and Material Recovery
Under the approved process detailed by The Times of India, accumulated waste will be separated into fractions that include refuse-derived fuel, finished compost, recyclable materials and residual matter. Recovered recyclables such as plastic, glass, metals, rags and cloth are to be directed to authorised recycling channels. Suitable non-recyclable plastic may be used in road-making, refuse-derived-fuel units or cement plants. Earthy fines and soil-like material can support landscaping, gardening, road medians and green-area development, while sand, gravel, stones and concrete fractions are earmarked for reuse in road works and construction. Only inert residual material is to proceed to a scientific sanitary landfill, maximising recovery and limiting final disposal volumes.
Environmental Safeguards Mandated by MPCB
The Times of India reported that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has prescribed a suite of environmental controls for the Deonar project. These encompass measures addressing dust, odour, fire risk, methane, slope stability and leachate management, together with periodic ambient-air-quality monitoring. Covered vehicles are required for waste transport, and specific monsoon precautions must prevent waste or eroded material from entering nearby drains or adjoining areas.
Tender Process and Contract Award
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation invited bids for the Deonar legacy-waste remediation project on 14 May 2025, The Times of India stated. A pre-bid meeting held on 23 May drew representatives from 21 companies. The bid-submission deadline was extended three times—from an original date of 3 June to 23 June, then 1 July and finally 4 July. When bids were opened on 8 July, three main contenders emerged: Navayuga Engineering Ltd, Re Sustainability and HG Infra Engineering Ltd. Navayuga Engineering Ltd submitted the lowest bid on 18 July, and the BMC approved the contract at a rate 3 percent above the estimated cost.
Parallel Development at Mulund Dumping Ground
In a separate development reported by Free Press Journal, the BMC administration has submitted a proposal to the Standing Committee seeking a 216-day extension of the Mulund dumping-ground biomining and remediation contract with M/s Bio Mining India Pvt Ltd. The extension would keep the agreement in force until 19 April 2027.
The request follows identification of an additional 7 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste at the Mulund site. The contractor has already completed the original 70 lakh metric tonnes covered by the contract. At the existing rate of Rs 798 per metric tonne, processing the extra volume is projected to cost approximately Rs 55.86 crore.
The original six-year contract was approved in June 2018. Earlier extensions had already been granted because of disruptions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, cyclones, heavy rainfall and fuel shortages; the most recent tenure was scheduled to end on 27 May 2026.
Rationale for Retaining the Existing Contractor
Free Press Journal reported that the BMC has recommended continuing with the present contractor rather than inviting fresh tenders, arguing that a new bidding process would introduce delays and raise costs. Project-management consultant May Mitcon Consultancy and Engineering Services Ltd stated that the additional waste can be handled with the contractor’s existing machinery, manpower and infrastructure, describing continuation as economically beneficial and in the public interest.
A technical assessment by KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd placed the contractor’s average productivity at 3,240 metric tonnes per day, indicating that roughly 216 days would be required to process the extra 7 lakh tonnes. The administration further contended that the contractual rate of Rs 798 per metric tonne remains more economical than current market rates for comparable work, rendering a fresh tender financially disadvantageous. The proposal therefore seeks to award an additional Rs 55.86 crore of work without competitive re-bidding.
Together the Deonar clearance and the Mulund extension reflect ongoing municipal efforts to address long-standing legacy-waste accumulations at two of Mumbai’s principal dumping grounds through biomining and land reclamation.