The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated a safety review of Mumbai’s landfill sites, waste processing facilities and solid waste management project areas following the collapse of a waste-to-energy plant building in Pune’s Moshi, which claimed nine lives.
The civic body will conduct a week-long assessment to examine safety standards across major landfill locations, including the height and stability of legacy waste mounds, excavation practices and the structural condition of facilities located around landfill cells.
BMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review safety measures related to solid waste management (SWM) activities across Mumbai’s dumping grounds and refuse transfer stations. During the review, officials were instructed to conduct an immediate assessment of ongoing bio-mining excavation work at the Kanjurmarg, Deonar and Mulund landfill sites.
As part of the safety exercise, authorities will identify areas where excavation activities may pose risks and take preventive measures by barricading such locations to restrict unauthorised access.
The audit will also examine whether existing waste management operations are being carried out in accordance with safety protocols, particularly at sites where large-scale remediation and waste processing activities are underway.
Mumbai’s landfill sites have been undergoing gradual transformation through bio-mining and waste remediation projects aimed at reducing legacy waste accumulation and reclaiming land. However, the scale of these operations requires continuous monitoring due to the presence of large waste mounds, excavation activities and heavy machinery movement.
The BMC’s safety assessment is expected to help identify potential risks and strengthen preventive measures at waste management facilities across the city. Officials have indicated that ensuring worker safety, preventing accidents and maintaining operational stability will remain key priorities during the review.
The move comes as civic authorities across Maharashtra reassess safety practices at waste processing and infrastructure sites following the Pune incident, highlighting the need for stricter monitoring of large-scale municipal projects.
Source: The Indian Express
