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Mumbai's waste-to-energy plant at Deonar is expected to be delayed by a year, pushing its completion to October 2026. The contractor, M/s Chennai MSW Pvt Ltd, cited delays in obtaining statutory clearances, including environmental clearance and a consent to establish (CTE). The BMC is also facing a setback after a state authority directed it to reapply for an increase in the plant's power capacity. This delay highlights the challenges in implementing large-scale, environmentally sensitive projects and raises concerns about Mumbai's inadequate solid waste management.
Mumbai's waste-to-energy plant at Deonar is expected to be delayed by a year, pushing its completion to October 2026. The project, a key part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) plan to manage the city's solid waste. The INR 648 crore plant began construction in June 2022 which was initially scheduled to begin operations in October 2025. The facility is designed to process 600 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day and produce about 4 MW of electricity. Advertisement
The contractor, M/s Chennai MSW Pvt Ltd, has requested an extension from the BMC, citing delays in obtaining necessary statutory clearances. These clearances include the environmental clearance and a consent to establish (CTE) from the state pollution control board. The letter from the contractor was sent to the BMC on July 30, thanking the civic body for patiently hearing the project status and challenges, and requested that no penalty be imposed for the delay.
The BMC also recently faced a setback in its plans to increase the plant's capacity. The State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) rejected a request to increase the plant's power capacity from 4 MW to 8 MW. The SEIAA directed the BMC to reapply under the expansion category, which requires a separate process. However, the BMC has written to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), citing central guidelines that exempt waste-to-energy projects up to 25 MW from such a requirement, and is asking for the CTE amendment to be dropped.
With Mumbai generating around 7,000 metric tonnes of waste daily and none of it currently being treated, the city's waste management situation may worsen. The Deonar plant was intended to be the first step in addressing this critical problem. This delay highlights the complexities of implementing large-scale, environmentally sensitive projects, especially when they involve multiple regulatory bodies.
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