Maharashtra's Tech Leap: Robots to Replace Manual Manhole Cleaning

Maharashtra's government plans to procure 100 robots for manhole cleaning across 27 municipalities, replacing the dangerous manual work. This initiative follows a social audit exposing the state's failures in protecting sanitation workers, resulting in 18 reported deaths. Initial trials in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will determine the deployment success.

Maharashtra is set to embark on a significant technological overhaul with plans to deploy 100 robots for cleaning manholes, replacing the risky manual labor currently employed across 27 municipal corporations.

This bold move follows a scathing social audit by the Union Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment, which highlighted the state's shortcomings in safeguarding sanitation workers, with 18 casualties reported between 2021 and 2024.

State Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat announced that a month-long trial with a new robot will be conducted in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation. The robots, more advanced than their predecessors, promise enhanced cleaning efficiency and waste segregation capabilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)