WtE plant proposed at Venkatamangalam to serve south Chennai suburbs
The projects will be executed on a public-private partnership (PPP) mode with funding from the Project Development Grant Fund (PDGF).
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CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL) has floated a tender to appoint consultants for preparing feasibility reports and offering transaction advisory services for a waste-to-energy (WtE) plant and a construction-and-demolition (C&D) waste processing facility in Tambaram.
The projects will be executed on a public-private partnership (PPP) mode with funding from the Project Development Grant Fund (PDGF).
The proposed WtE plant is planned at Venkatamangalam in Tambaram Corporation limits, subject to feasibility/suitability of the site. It is part of a cluster-based approach finalised during a review meeting chaired by the principal secretary to government, Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MA&WS) department on April 17.
The facility is intended to serve parts of the Chennai, Tambaram and Avadi corporations, and municipalities such as Poonamallee, Thiruverkadu, Mangadu, Kundrathur, Maraimalai Nagar, and Nandivaram-Guduvanchery.
Tambaram, which generates around 482 tonnes of municipal waste daily, has limited dry waste processing capacity. Avadi generates 283 tonnes, while other nearby towns like Mangadu, Maraimalai Nagar, and Poonamallee contribute significant volumes but lack full-scale recycling or disposal facilities.
Perungudi in south Chennai remains the largest municipal dump yard in the cluster, receiving over 2,600 tonnes per day (TPD). Though the city has partially operational bio-CNG plants and a C&D facility with 400 TPD capacity, planned infrastructure like an 800 TPD composting unit and 1,800 TPD automated material recovery facility (AMRF) are yet to be fully realised.
The tender aims to strengthen integrated waste management by combining Venkatamangalam’s new facility with upgrades at Perungudi and other satellite towns. Consultants will also study and propose solutions for C&D waste, which include concrete, metal, wood and debris from buildings and infrastructure works. Officials noted that such waste was often dumped on roadsides or drains, adding to congestion and flood risks.
The scope includes preparing feasibility reports, environmental and social screening, legal frameworks, and financial models for both the WtE and C&D plants. The consultant will also identify locations for decentralised debris collection and recommend recycling strategies.
Environmental screening will consider factors such as proximity to heritage structures, natural habitats, drinking water sources, and flood-prone zones. Water and energy usage assessments will be key parts of the study, along with estimating pollution, leachate, and GHG emissions from existing sites.
The consultants will help assess the reuse potential of bio-CNG, compost, RDF, and recyclable materials. The idea is to shift from landfilling to material recovery and energy generation, in line with Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 and the draft SWM Rules 2024.
