All new tenders for civic projects requiring land excavation will include the clause for contractors that BMC would not provide the land for dumping construction waste. The civic Solid Waste Management department has issued a notification directing contractors of road and other civic projects to find their own dumping sites.

With infrastructure and development work on in full swing, the city generates more than 10,000 tonne debris. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to identify a location for dumping debris. Therefore, on the lines of MMRDA, we have directed contractors to take the responsibility of dumping the debris,” said additional municipal commissioner, R A Rajeev.

MMRDA makes contractors responsible for disposing of debris from its infrastructure projects. The BMC used to allow debris to be disposed of at dumping grounds and charge Rs 500 per truck. A clause on permission for dumping used to be part of the tender conditions. BMC used to assure a place for dumping. “The new tenders will not have the clause. Contractors will have to find a dumping site,” he said.

Trouble began last year when road works started getting affected due to lack of space for disposal.

With Mulund and Deonar grounds being overloaded, the civic administration scouted for land. Reliance agreed to allow debris to be dumped to refill land at its SEZ site in Navi Mumbai. For that, contractors would have to travel outside the city and BMC required to pay for transportation. Another land at Ghatkopar was considered, but it had yet to receive the formal approval. Corporators opposed a proposal to dump the debris at a private quarry in Dahisar near Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

“As a long-term solution, it is better BMC doesn’t take the responsibility and lets contractors do the job themselves,” said a senior civic official.