It will put end to age-old practice of manual scavenging 

Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has procured a robotic scavenging machine — Bandicoot — that would effectively substitute manual scavenging of manholes and Underground Drainage (UGD) system. The cost of this machinery is Rs. 32 lakh and is manufactured by Pune-based company.

Training on operative guidelines for sanitary workers will be conducted for smooth operation of the machine. Urban Development Minister Byrati Basavaraj will launch this machinery soon.

Explaining the main features, an Officer of MCC told SOM that “the machinery comes with automatic sewer line detection and poisonous gas sensing features and it will help the Municipal authorities for safe operation of UGD. It is a complete solution for automatic de-silting, cleaning, effective unclogging using human comparable robotic arm smart user interface designed for common sewer works. It is the first manhole cleaning robot in the country, designed by Indian engineers to eradicate the age-old practice of manual scavenging with effective and efficient robotic scavenging,”

The machinery had been designed by nine engineers from Kerala. It was launched in Feb. 2018 after its successful trial run in Thiruvananthapuram, unclogging five manholes filled with plastic filth, medical waste and sediments.

The 80-kg robot lifts the heavy metal cover on its own, drops its arm into the manhole, scoops out the solid waste and dumps it in a bucket. All the operations can be viewed on a monitor. The robot can also be used to check the sewage apart from jetting the sewer lines. Bandicoot requires only one person to operate it from a safe distance.