Mumbai, June 5: The bio-mining project at the Mulund dumping ground is headed for another delay, with the contractor seeking a fourth extension, citing a diesel shortage arising from geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
The agency has informed civic officials that nearly 7 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of processed waste are yet to be transported from the site. The extension proposal is currently awaiting approval from Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and will subsequently be placed before the Standing Committee for final clearance.
Contractor cites diesel shortage and legacy waste
The contractor, Bio Mining India Private Limited, has completed bio-mining of 70 lakh MT of waste at the Mulund dumping ground. However, in May, the agency sought an extension from the BMC to transport nearly 7 lakh MT of processed material still lying at the site, citing diesel supply disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
According to the contractor, the fuel shortage has affected the operation of heavy machinery and transportation logistics critical to the project.
The contractor has also sought additional time to clear around 10 lakh MT of legacy waste that was not accounted for in the original survey, potentially extending the timeline of the long-running remediation exercise.
Fourth extension and project timeline
If approved, this would be the fourth extension granted to the contractor, despite the project originally being scheduled for completion in 2024. A civic official said, "We are considering assigning the additional work to the current contractor instead of floating a new tender, allowing the project to continue at existing rates. With bio-mining operations set to pause during the monsoon, we expect the Mulund dumping ground remediation project to be completed by December. The proposal is awaiting administrative approval, following which it will be placed before the Standing Committee for final clearance."
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Waste management context
Mumbai generates around 7,000 MT of waste daily, with 90% processed at the Kanjurmarg processing plant and 10% still dumped at Deonar dumping ground. The 24-hectare Mulund site, operational since 1968 and once the city’s second-largest landfill, was officially closed in 2018.
In October that year, the BMC awarded a Rs 731-crore contract to reclaim the site via bio-mining, an eco-friendly method to process legacy waste and recover land. However, COVID-19 disruptions and delays in approvals meant actual work began only in 2021.
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