Kalyan: As part of its efforts to find sustainable solution to deal with waste management, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) will adopt the ‘Chennai model’ of solid waste management.

This initiative will be the first of its kind in Maharashtra and the second after Chennai. The ambitious project will be inaugurated on May 18 in Kalyan.

With an area many times larger and nearly three times the population of KDMC, Chennai has had its share of solid waste management challenges.

The southern metropolis turned a page in January 2020, when it successfully implemented the ‘garbage-dree city’ initiative in partnership with the Urbaser Sumit organization. The initiative has transformed Chennai’s waste management system and greatly improved cleanliness in the city.

“Our goal is to change the way people perceive cleanliness. Through structured planning, advanced technology, and public participation, we aim to transform Kalyan-Dombivli into one of the cleanest cities,” Atul Patil, additional commissioner (solid waste management), KDMC, said.

To address residents’ complaints promptly, the corporation will introduce a special mobile application to track waste-related grievances.

Waste will be collected 24 hours a day in three shifts, with door-to-door pick-up being key. In addition, skilled personnel will use power-sweeping machines for effective cleaning of both main roads and inner streets.

An integrated command and control centre will be established to monitor and resolve complaints received via the app, social media, or telephone without delay.

In the first phase of the project, the project will be implemented in seven wards in wards D, E, F, G, H, I, and J.

Under the previous system, contractors were paid based on the weight of waste collected. As part of the new initiative, the KDMC has established 45 specific standards and key performance indicators for the waste collection.

Payments will be made only after verifying that all standards have been met, and the corporation has made provisions for penal action against contractors who fail to meet the criteria.