Madurai: The construction of the waste transfer station being established by the Madurai corporation at Thathaneri has reached the 50% completion mark. The facility is being built on the grounds of the Thathaneri crematorium, which previously served as an unauthorized dump yard.
Progress and Capacity
According to a senior corporation health official, many essential components for the station have already arrived and will be assembled shortly to commence operations. The project, with an estimated cost of around Rs 10 crore, is designed to handle approximately 200 metric tonnes of waste daily.
The official explained that the station will function as a crucial waste collection point where garbage will be segregated and compacted. This process will enable more efficient transportation of waste to the Vellakal dumpyard. "We will require fewer vehicles to carry waste to the dumpyard once the station begins functioning," the official added.
Resident Concerns
Meanwhile, local residents have expressed apprehensions about potential odor issues. Selvam, a resident, voiced concerns that the stench from the station could worsen living conditions in the area. "Earlier, the space was used as a dumpyard and that was very uncomfortable. But now, with waste being brought in from all over the city to the transfer station, it looks like it might get even worse," he said. Selvam noted that the problem could be mitigated if the station is maintained well and kept hygienic.
Social activist V P Manikandan echoed the importance of proper maintenance to ensure the facility's continued usefulness. He further emphasized that segregation of waste at the household level would simplify and enhance the efficiency of work for sanitation workers at the transfer unit.
