Tiruchi Accelerates Final Cleanup of Ariyamangalam Legacy Waste
The Tiruchi Corporation has processed 1.30 lakh tonnes of refuse in Phase III of its biomining initiative. This final stage aims to reclaim the remaining acreage at city's largest disposal site ahead of schedule.
Funding and Technical Scope of the Final Phase
Tiruchi Corporation has ramped up the third phase of its ambitious biomining operation at the 47.7-acre Ariyamangalam dump yard. Following a technical assessment by the National Institute of Technology (NIT), experts identified 7.7 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste, significant portions of which remain buried beneath the surface. This terminal phase targets the processing of 6.17 lakh tonnes of refuse at a projected cost of ₹44.01 crore.
The financial architecture of Phase III involves a tripartite funding model under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0:
- ₹25.33 crore from the Tiruchi Corporation General Fund
- ₹11.21 crore from Central Government allocations
- ₹7.47 crore from State Government contributions
Operationally, an Erode-based firm—responsible for the previous two successful stages—is managing the site. While full-scale activity launched in May 2026 after power infrastructure was established, initial mobilization began in November 2025. Officials now estimate the project will conclude well before its original two-year deadline.
Reclaiming the Land: 1.30 Lakh Tonnes Already Processed
To date, the ongoing phase has removed 1.30 lakh tonnes of material. A hallmark of the project is the conversion of waste into Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF). Currently, the facility generates and transports nearly 100 metric tonnes of RDF daily to cement manufacturers. These factories utilize the processed material as a sustainable energy alternative to conventional fossil fuels in their kilns.
This continues the momentum from Phase I (January 2019) and Phase II (Smart Cities Mission), which collectively cleared 11 lakh cubic metres of waste at a cost of ₹74 crore. Previous efforts reclaimed approximately 40 acres of land and diverted 1.95 lakh metric tonnes of RDF to industrial users.
The Challenge of Ongoing Waste Influx
Despite significant progress in clearing historical mounds, the long-term restoration of Ariyamangalam faces logistical hurdles. Municipal trucks continue to deposit fresh daily waste from households and businesses onto the reclaimed sections of the yard. Internal sources indicate that poor source segregation remains a primary obstacle to total site remediation.
To mitigate this reliance on open dumping, the Corporation is developing infrastructure for fresh waste management. New projects currently under development include:
- An Automated Material Recovery Facility (AMRF) to streamline sorting
- A dedicated bio-CNG plant for organic waste conversion
Once operational, these facilities aim to process incoming solid waste immediately, preventing the re-accumulation of legacy piles on the newly cleared 47.7-acre expanse.
Source: The Hindu — Cities
