Jatayu: Pune startup develops machine for contactless waste picking
SMART CITIES

Jatayu: Pune startup develops machine for contactless waste picking

A Pune-based startup - Spruce Up, has come up with an innovative solution Jatayu, a litter picking machine to help sanitation workers gather litter without any contact.

The machine lets sanitation workers collect garbage without using their hands. The device was initiated to fight the accumulation of wastes from Covid-19 patients that threatens the safety of sanitation workers and could contribute to the spread of the pandemic.

The mastermind of the project, Abhishek Shelar is an alumnus of Harvard and IIT Bombay who wanted to secure the safety and dignity of the workers. His creation Jatayu is capable of solving the current obstacles put on the 'manual scavengers' handling the Covid-waste.

Covid-19 has not just hindered our health infrastructure but our waste management system too. A report filed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the National Green Tribunal in July stated that the nation produces close to 101 metric tonnes per day of bio-medical waste due to the Covid-10 pandemic.

This is where the existence of Jatayu becomes crucial as Shelar developed it as an attempt to protect about four million waste pickers in the country that deal with this waste.

Before developing this project, the founder of Spruce Up and his team discussed the possibility of their idea with various manufacturers, researchers and developers to produce their first product, Jatayu HD.

The contactless litter picking machine can fetch up to two tonnes of garbage per day.

One of the first buyers of the Jatayu machine was Delhi Municipal Corporation. Biotic Waste Management has reported that Delhi produced about 7.2 tonnes of Covid waste per day in 2020 and increased to produce 12.5-13 tonnes per day by the end of April this year.

Image Source


Also read: Plastic waste: India, Germany to stem discharge into water systems

Also read: Plastic ban: Centre to phase out single-use plastics by 2022

A Pune-based startup - Spruce Up, has come up with an innovative solution Jatayu, a litter picking machine to help sanitation workers gather litter without any contact. The machine lets sanitation workers collect garbage without using their hands. The device was initiated to fight the accumulation of wastes from Covid-19 patients that threatens the safety of sanitation workers and could contribute to the spread of the pandemic. The mastermind of the project, Abhishek Shelar is an alumnus of Harvard and IIT Bombay who wanted to secure the safety and dignity of the workers. His creation Jatayu is capable of solving the current obstacles put on the 'manual scavengers' handling the Covid-waste. Covid-19 has not just hindered our health infrastructure but our waste management system too. A report filed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in the National Green Tribunal in July stated that the nation produces close to 101 metric tonnes per day of bio-medical waste due to the Covid-10 pandemic. This is where the existence of Jatayu becomes crucial as Shelar developed it as an attempt to protect about four million waste pickers in the country that deal with this waste. Before developing this project, the founder of Spruce Up and his team discussed the possibility of their idea with various manufacturers, researchers and developers to produce their first product, Jatayu HD. The contactless litter picking machine can fetch up to two tonnes of garbage per day. One of the first buyers of the Jatayu machine was Delhi Municipal Corporation. Biotic Waste Management has reported that Delhi produced about 7.2 tonnes of Covid waste per day in 2020 and increased to produce 12.5-13 tonnes per day by the end of April this year. Image SourceAlso read: Plastic waste: India, Germany to stem discharge into water systems Also read: Plastic ban: Centre to phase out single-use plastics by 2022

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

Next Story
Technology

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?