The Directorate of Municipal Administration has approved the construction of five new waste transfer stations in Tambaram, Tamil Nadu, under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0. These facilities, with a combined handling capacity of 500 tonnes per day (TPD), are intended to improve urban waste management in the rapidly expanding Tambaram Municipal Corporation (TCMC).

Transfer stations temporarily store collected waste before it is transported to larger processing or dumping sites. Their implementation is expected to minimise indiscriminate dumping in public spaces and reduce the number of trips required for long-haul waste transport, ultimately lowering operational costs.

The stations will be located in TVK Nagar (50 TPD), Madambakkam (150 TPD), Mangalagiri (150 TPD), Kannadapalayam (150 TPD), and a fifth facility in Zone 2. The total estimated project cost stands at over Rs 310 million. The station-wise investments are estimated at Rs 33.4 million (TVK Nagar), Rs 97.7 million (Madambakkam), Rs 97.8 million (Mangalagiri), Rs 81.3 million (Kannadapalayam), and Rs 25.8 million for the Zone 2 facility, which will be funded by TCMC’s own resources.

Funding for the project will be shared among the central government (33 per cent), state government (22 per cent), and TCMC (45 per cent). Initially approved by the State High Powered Committee (SHPC) in November 2022, the project is currently awaiting formal ratification in the next SHPC meeting.

Despite the pending confirmation, TCMC officials have been instructed to begin work immediately, ensuring thorough documentation and adherence to protocols. “This is part of the corporation’s efforts to strengthen the urban waste management ecosystem and ensure environmental sustainability,” said a senior TCMC official.