The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is awaiting approval from the Maharashtra government to transfer approximately 18 acres of land in Deonar to Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) for the development of a compressed biogas (CBG) plant. The proposed facility will process up to 1,000 tonnes of wet waste daily, to be supplied by the BMC.
According to civic officials, the proposal is currently under review by the state authorities. The project will be executed in two phases. In the first phase, a 500-tonnes-per-day (TPD) plant will be constructed on an 8-acre plot. The second phase will involve setting up another 500 TPD unit on a 10-acre plot, both located in the Deonar area.
The project aligns with the Union government’s emphasis on converting municipal waste into compressed biogas. In line with this policy, the BMC was directed to initiate a CBG project. An MoU was signed between the civic body and MGL in June 2023 to facilitate this initiative.
The BMC has earmarked two specific plots for the two phases. The first site, measuring 8 acres, is currently occupied by a BMC garage that houses bulldozers and excavators on the periphery of the Deonar dumping ground. The second, larger 10-acre plot is situated within the dumping ground itself. The BMC has formally requested the state government’s approval to hand over these plots to MGL at concessional rates.
Notably, the project will not involve any financial burden on the civic body. All capital investment and operational expenses will be borne by the plant operator. In return, the operator will retain rights to the compressed biogas, fertilizers, and any other byproducts generated at the facility. Additionally, the BMC will provide wet waste—collected and segregated from hotels, restaurants, banquet halls, and vegetable markets—free of charge.
Once the CBG facility is fully operational, the larger plan includes three additional phases: a biomass waste treatment plant, an organic fertilizer manufacturing unit, and a green fuel production facility.
