Bengaluru: Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) is set to float tenders worth Rs 125.5 crore for three large Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to process 1,226 tonnes of dry waste daily. The initiative aims to reduce the city's dependence on landfills while strengthening recycling and scientific waste segregation systems.
Third Attempt to Award Projects
This will be BSWML's third attempt to award the projects. A BSWML official stated, "We had no bidders for the past two bids. We will soon call for the third bid." The proposed facilities will be located at Tharahunase, Subbarayanapalya, and Doddabidarakallu. Among these, the Tharahunase plant will be the largest, designed to process 826 tonnes per day (TPD) at an estimated cost of Rs 76.4 crore. The other two facilities, at Subbarayanapalya and Doddabidarakallu, will each process 200 TPD, with estimated costs of Rs 20.7 crore and Rs 28.4 crore, respectively.
Project Execution Model
The projects will be executed through a turnkey design-build-transfer model. Contractors will be responsible for design, construction, installation, and commissioning, with a completion deadline of 12 months from the award date. These projects are proposed under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0. According to BSWML, Bengaluru generates nearly 6,500 tonnes of solid waste daily, excluding bulk waste.
Advanced Mechanised Processing
Unlike conventional dumping systems, the MRFs are planned as mechanised processing hubs. They will be equipped with conveyor belts, trommels, vibratory screens, magnetic separators, air classifiers, shredders, and balers to segregate recyclable materials and produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The facilities will also include pre-engineered sheds, storage spaces, weighbridges, RFID-enabled scanners, odour-control systems, leachate collection tanks, and digital monitoring systems to improve tracking and accountability in waste movement.
Objectives and Benefits
The projects, open to manufacturers, firms, and consortiums, aim to maximise recyclable recovery, cut transportation and disposal costs, extend landfill lifespan, and generate livelihood opportunities. BSWML stated that the projects align with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, which emphasise maximum resource recovery and prohibit untreated waste from being sent to landfills.
While Bengaluru currently has around 112 dry waste collection centres, officials noted that the proposed MRFs are intended to process dry waste in much larger volumes and improve deeper segregation of recyclable materials before they are sent to recycling industries.
