Prayagraj Nagar Nigam is set to receive three Bandicoot Robotic Scavengers developed by the Kerala-based national award-winning start-up Genrobotics, to help clean its manholes. This move is part of Nagar Nigam’s efforts to promote cleanliness and hygiene, while also reducing the deaths of manual scavengers due to the hazardous conditions in the manhole.
The city will now implement a scheduled approach to manhole cleaning wherein these pits will be cleared off at timely intervals, ensuring efficient clearing of the clogs and blockages. Kerala has recently achieved complete robotisation of manhole cleaning, which accelerated this transition.
The move is part of the SwachSurvekshan 2023 and SafaiMitra Suraksha Protocol, which aim to create a clean and healthy environment for sanitation workers and the community as a whole. Apart from Prayagraj, other regions like Kanpur, Aligarh, and Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh are currently using Bandicoot Robot Technology.
“The Bandicoots are a game-changer in the sanitation industry. They provide a safe and efficient alternative to manual scavenging, which is not only hazardous but also violates the human rights and dignity of sanitation workers. We hope that the introduction of the three Bandicoot Robots in Prayagraj will inspire other cities to adopt this technology and improve the lives of sanitation workers.” Officials from Prayagraj said.
The Bandicoots have already proven to be highly effective in Kerala, where they have completely transformed the way manhole cleaning is carried out. The robots have not only increased efficiency but have also reduced the number of accidents and injuries suffered by sanitation workers. The adoption of Bandicoot Robots in Prayagraj is expected to have a similar impact to that in Kanpur, promoting safety and reducing the risk of exposure to hazardous waste.
Bandicoot robots are currently deployed in 17 states of India and 3 UTs, and they are transforming sanitation ecosystems. Bandicoot, with its human-like robotic arms, specially designed bucket system, and sewerage and waterproof cameras, can eliminate the requirement for human entry and offer an entire solution for the man-hole cleaning problem.
Other cleaning techniques do exist, such as sucking and grabbing machines; however, sucking machines are unable to remove pure solid wastes, while grabbing machines can only clean less than 20% of the area inside a manhole. Due to these drawbacks, these techniques have limitations, which have been solved by Bandicoot Robotic Scavengers.