Pune: PCMC’s Waste Transfer Station Plan Faces Opposition from Kiwale Residents

Kiwale, 14th February 2025: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) initiative to establish waste transfer stations across the city, modeled after Indore’s solid waste management system, has once again encountered resistance—this time from residents of Kiwale.

A senior official from the civic body confirmed that the project in Kiwale has been temporarily put on hold, stating that further action will only be taken after addressing residents’ concerns.

This is not the first instance of public opposition to the plan. In July last year, a similar protest in Chovisawadi-Charholi led to the municipal commissioner relocating the proposed facility. However, a new site for the Charholi waste transfer station has yet to be finalized. Other localities, including Sangvi, Nigdi, and Borhadewadi,
have also raised objections to setting up such facilities in their neighborhoods.

The civic body has planned to set up 16 waste transfer stations, with two designated for each ward, to streamline the transportation of solid waste to the Moshi depot.

Explaining the purpose of the project, Sanjay Kulkarni, city engineer and head of the environment department, said, “The waste transfer stations are designed to improve efficiency. Smaller waste collection vehicles will unload garbage into larger compactor trucks at these stations, eliminating the need for manual handling. This process will ensure hygiene and efficiency, posing no inconvenience to residents. We urge citizens to cooperate with PCMC in this initiative.”

Despite these assurances, local opposition continues, with residents expressing concerns about potential hygiene, odor, and environmental impact in their neighborhoods.