The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has floated a major tender worth Rs 23.68 billion for the remediation of legacy waste at the Deonar dumping ground—infamously dubbed “Mount Garbage” due to waste piling as high as a 12-storey building. The project, one of the largest solid waste management initiatives in recent years, aims to clear decades-old waste from one of Mumbai’s oldest landfill sites.

The project will focus on the bioremediation of 18.5 million tonnes of legacy waste and the disposal of excavated, processed, and segregated materials. The initiative is expected to reclaim approximately 110 hectares (272 acres) of land at Deonar.

The contract will span three years, including time for mobilisation and monsoon delays, and work will commence upon the issuance of a letter of acceptance or service order.

The timing of the tender is significant, as 124 acres of the 311-acre Deonar site were allocated in October 2024 to the Adani Group-led Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) for the construction of rental homes for residents not eligible for free housing in Dharavi. This decision has sparked controversy, given the site’s status as an active landfill emitting toxic gases.

Civil society groups have raised concerns about the timing and financial implications of the tender. The Watchdog Foundation has called for an immediate halt to the process, questioning the use of public funds for a project that may ultimately benefit a private redevelopment scheme.

“Bioremediation is welcome, but why is BMC spending Rs 23.68 billion of taxpayers’ money on land already handed to a private developer?” asked advocate Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation. The group has demanded a full review and independent inquiry into the decision.

Kiran Dighavkar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Solid Waste Management), defended the initiative, stating that both the Mulund and Deonar sites hold vast quantities of legacy waste—Mulund with 6 million tonnes and Deonar with 20 million tonnes.

“Biomining is a statutory obligation. Regardless of the DRP, we must clean the land as per state government directives,” he said. “At Mulund, we’ve been working for six years and expect to reclaim 60 acres. Now, our focus is on Deonar.”