BENGALURU: The Waste to Garden Project is implemented in Bangalore city to address the waste management crisis. The joint initiative by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), Pelican Kenterra, and Wipro Foundation, the project includes using carbon sequestration technology for converting biodegradable waste, including tough materials like coconut shells into a soilless planting medium. Eco-friendly microbial inoculants are used to break down the waste and create low-electrical-conductivity planting substrates.conductivity planting substrates.
The project is being implemented over 1,000 medians along Phase 2 of the Metro corridor, using up to 30MT of waste per median. A trial stretch of 100 metres was installed at Manjunath Nagar metro station. Over 20MT of compost was used to fill the medians between 5 pillars, converting them into soil-less gardening using their proprietary technology and planting ornamental plants. Kenterra has successfully maintained the garden for the past year. BMRCL has allotted an additional 5KM of medians between HSR Layout and Bellandur for median compost gardening.
At present, reject compost and garden waste, including materials like dry palm leaves and garden clippings are being collected from residential and commercial establishments. “We never imagined that our medians could serve as a solution for waste management in the city,” said a BMRCL spokesperson.