Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has recently revived its plan for a dedicated processing facility for furniture and textile waste (dry waste), submitting a proposal for a plant with a daily processing capacity of 75 tonnes to the Standing Committee, pending approval.

The project is expected to cost Rs 75 crore and will be built in phases on an 11-acre plot in Hadapsar, mainly for processing bulky waste such as mattresses, pillows, sofas, chairs, and discarded clothing. Pune currently lacks a dedicated mechanism for handling such waste, which is often dumped in the open.

Officials revealed that the proposal has been in the works for several years, first put forward last year but not given final approval. An agency has now been selected to build and operate the facility, with PMC funding the necessary infrastructure, and the facility is expected to operate for 20 years. Previously, residents relied on scrap collectors to handle old furniture and textile waste, but collection services were unstable, leading to frequent illegal dumping. Shivajinagar resident Viraj Konde reported that collectors often refused to come to their door citing a lack of processing facilities, ultimately resulting in open dumping. In response, civic activists welcomed the move but cautioned that PMC must ensure the facility operates at its designed capacity. Activist Vikram Gaikwad pointed out that most waste processing plants in the city have low capacity utilization rates, affecting the overall waste management system.

Pune currently generates over 2,300 tonnes of solid waste daily. Last month, PMC also approved the construction of two processing units with a total capacity of 500 tonnes per day in Phursungi. This proposal will be discussed at the Standing Committee meeting later this week.

Source: PMC revives Rs 75-crore furniture, textile waste plant plan in Hadapsar to check open dumping · Originally published on 2026-09-01