Navi Mumbai is moving ahead with an initiative to convert waste into energy at the Turbhe landfills. The project worth ₹2,100 crore integrated facility at the Turbhe landfill to tackle the growing problem of solid waste while generating clean power. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is developing the project under the Solid Waste Management Act, 2016, on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis to scientifically manage and dispose of municipal waste in an eco-friendlier wat, officials said.

According to Shinde, a Letter of Award (LOA) has been issued to R & B Greentech LLP to develop the project, which will transform waste into energy while reducing landfill load and emissions. Once the plant is ready, the amount of garbage moving to landfills will soon reduce by converting waste into useful energy. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed over the next 36 months.

What the project will do

Currently, the site receives about 850 tonnes of municipal garbage every day, where the waste is segregated and processed properly. The new facility will expand processing capacity toward about 1,500 tonnes per day by 2038. The project will use different technologies to turn garbage into bio-gas energy plant, a waste-to-electricity facility, bio-CNG production, and treatment of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). Although, the plant is expected to produce about 27 megawatts of electricity daily.

This green energy will be used for civic facilities like sewage treatment plants and NMMC offices, cutting power costs significantly compared to buying power at commercial rates. The bio-CNG produced will also be utilised in public transport buses at a lower cost.

Officials said the project will reduce the cost of waste disposal from an estimated ₹500 per tonne to around ₹385 per tonne once operational. A solar power plant and a sewage treatment unit to recover energy from waste heat are also part of the plan.

Why it is Important

NMMC Commissioner Kailas Shinde said that this waste to energy project is critical for the city and residents, also necessary for developing Navi Mumbai as a modern, well-managed “smart city”. Belapur MLA Manda Mhatre highlighted that the project had been planned for several years due to growing population of the city and the amount of waste is also increasing. The project meant to handle the rising problem of waste in a better and cleaner way.

Experts say such waste-to-energy facilities can help reduce landfill pressure, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to cleaner urban environments if operated with effective sorting and pollution controls in place. The turbine will be built at the Turbhe landfill spread over 100 acres, where waste is already segregated and processed. The project has been reviewed by experts from IIT Bombay, and is a part of broader efforts to improve waste management as Navi Mumbai’s population grows.

After completion, the facility is expected to be run and maintained by the concessionaire for 20 years, providing both waste management capacity and green energy to the region.