COIMBATORE: The slow pace of construction of a garbage transfer station on Sathy Road, overseen by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has forced the civic body to effectively dispose of waste as it relies solely on the Ukkadam transfer station. As a result, garbage collection from roads is affected and trash piles can be found in many parts of the city.
Coimbatore generates approximately 1,200 tonnes of waste daily. The civic body directs this to processing facilities including Material Recovery Facilities (MRF), Micro Compost Centres (MCC), biogas plants, and the Vellalore dump yard. To address the mounting waste management issue, CCMC proposed constructing three more transfer stations.
The Ukkadam and Peelamedu transfer stations play a vital role in handling waste transported by mini-trucks, push carts, and battery-operated vehicles. The vehicles often face prolonged waiting times at the facilities or must travel directly to processing centres, consuming additional time and resources.
To alleviate this issue, the CCMC planned to revive the transfer station on Sathy Road which remained defunct after a portion of it was demolished to facilitate Gandhipuram flyover construction. In August 2023, the Director of Municipal Administration sanctioned Rs 5.27 crore to renovate the transfer station which has a planned capacity of 150 tonnes. The work began in March-April 2024 and was to be completed in September 2024. To date, construction is underway.
When inquired about it, a senior CCMC official said the delay in the arrival of essential containers was the reason for the setback. “The containers have arrived now, and ramp construction is underway. We need to install the containers and build compound walls around the facility. This will be completed within two months,” the official said.