Making most of modern day technology, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority has introduced the work of cleaning manholes in the city with the help of bandicoot robot, thus replacing the current system of manual cleaning of manholes. The mechanism while would improve sanitization system in the city, it would bring a positive change in the working of sanitization workers, as it would ensure contactless removal of waste and debris from the manholes.The mechanism was inaugurated today at PUDA Bhawan,
Sector-62, S.A.S. Nagar, by Mr. Sarvjit Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Punjab in presence of Mr. Pradeep Kumar Agrawal, IAS, Chief Administrator, GMADA and Mr. Devinder Singh, Chief Engineer, GMADA. Eminent Scientist Padma Vibhushan Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, FRS National Research Professor and Former Director General, CSIR India and Dr. Shirshendu Mukherjee, Mission Director Programme Management Unit (PMU), BIRAC joined through video conference.Giving details, Mr. Sarvjit Singh told that the bandicoot robot can do every action which a sanitation worker performs inside the manhole. The robot is world's first manhole cleaning robot developed under ‘Make In India’ and ‘Swachh Bharat’ initiative by a Start-up Indian company named Genrobotics, revealed the Principal Secretary.
This robot can clean manholes more efficiently and effectively than manual cleaning, he said.The bandicoot robot can converge its diameter by using its legs to enter into the unseen depths of the manholes and pull out the solid waste material with its specially designed human comparable robotic arm and unclog the sewer system.Utility of this mechanism assumes significance in present time, when corona virus has spread. Sanitation workers are quite prone to COVID-19 so this robot would be a big relief for them, as the robot ensures zero physical contact with the sewage waste and helps the workers stay away from the virus.Throwing more light on this cleaning technology, Mr. Pradeep Kumar Agrawal, Chief Administrator, GMADA revealed that during covid 19, waste deposition has increased by around 70% with plastic, masks, gloves, medicine bottles and injection syringes used in quarantine days being disposed in sewage manholes. The blockages and other sewage related works have increased in this situation, he said. Considering this, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, has decided to use bandicoot robot to clean manholes, stated Mr. Agrawal. The CSR support in the project has been extended by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, IKP and BIRAC, added the Chief Administrator.