Delhi to deploy 1,000 mechanical litter pickers, 35 women drivers join sanitation fleet

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra and others during the inauguration of new waste management facilities, at Sarita Vihar, in New Delhi. Image credit/PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday inaugurated a Fixed Compactor Transfer Station (FCTS) plant in Sarita Vihar and flagged off the first batch of 50 mechanical litter pickers as part of a citywide initiative to deploy 1,000 such machines across all 250 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The initiative aims to improve waste collection from roads and public spaces. The Chief Minister also flagged off vehicles for door-to-door waste collection and transportation, with 35 women drivers appointed to operate them.

She said Delhi generated nearly 15,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, of which only 6,000 to 7,000 metric tonnes could previously be processed, leading to the continued expansion of landfill sites.

The government was working to establish new waste-to-energy plants, expand the capacity of existing facilities, set up e-waste centres and install biogas plants to manage cow dung, she added.

To strengthen sanitation services in the South-East Zone, the government has approved 428 auto-tippers, 128 e-rickshaws, 25 Tata 407 vehicles, 27 refuse compactors, five additional refuse compactors and 30 hook loaders. The zone also has 100 compactor bins, while 1,500 steel dustbins, 300 high-density polyethylene (HDPE) dustbins and 10 tipper trucks for transporting horticultural waste have been provided.

The government is also procuring 1,000 battery-operated picker machines. Of these, 150 have arrived, with the remaining machines expected to be delivered within the next month. Funds have also been provided for 100 mechanical sweeping machines.

Gupta said the government aimed to ensure that all waste generated each day was processed and disposed of on the same day. Additional machinery, infrastructure and staff were being deployed to strengthen the system, she added.

The Chief Minister also urged residents to use 'Arpan' centres near metro stations to deposit unwanted clothes for recycling and reuse. The government is planning immersion kiosks across all 250 wards for the separate collection and processing of old idols and puja materials. Around 100 such kiosks have already been established, she said.

Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi stressed the importance of public participation in keeping the city clean.

"The MCD is committed to a clean, beautiful and developed Delhi. Citizen participation is essential to making the city garbage-free," he said.

Wahi urged residents to segregate wet and dry waste, hand over household garbage through designated collection systems and refrain from littering public places.