Vizag moves towards safer scavenging, to use robots for cleaning manholes

To make Vizag free of manual rummaging, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is set to use robots for cleaning manholes. The civic body has procured machines (both manual and robotic) to clean the sewer vents and clear clogged drains across the city.

The vehicles were presented under the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge, which has been adopted in 243 urban communities and towns. The Challenge was flagged off in Vizag in November with the introduction of vehicles used to address the issue of overflowing drains.

The said vehicles have a limit of 6,000 liters and 1,000 litres in capacity. While the vehicle with larger capacity will be used to clear deeper manholes, the 1,000 litres volume machines will be used to clean shallow drains with a maximum depth of 1-2 meters.

Among the machines tendered, the GVMC will be introducing two robotic machines to the streets of Vizag. These robots will be capable of clearing the manholes up to 10-meters in depth with utmost precision and minimal supervision. Thus, allowing the control of the machine to be done remotely round the clock. With high-quality cameras and sensors, which can detect the presence of toxic gases, if any, these machines, from ‘Bandicoot’, are expected to revolutionise the sewer cleaning system in the city.

K Venu Gopal, the Superintending Engineer of Water supply & Underground Drainage Management, GVMC, told Yo! Vizag that the use of such robots is intended to eradicate the harmful and dangerous environments in which the sanitation workers tend to find themselves, subsequently reducing the lives lost in the process. Mr Venu Gopal also informed that the consignment of the vehicles will be delivered within a week, followed by the implementation of safer and hygienic cleaning of sewers and drains in Vizag.