From AI to EVs: Technology in Urban Swachhata

Why in the News?

• Urban sanitation is increasingly adopting digital platforms, AI-powered systems and electric vehicles (EVs).
• These technologies aim to improve service delivery, worker safety, waste collection and environmental sustainability.

Key Highlights

• Raipur: Digital Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) dashboard for online desludging services.
• Thiruvananthapuram: G-SPIDER, an AI-powered canal-cleaning robot.
• Guntur: More than 200 electric autos for door-to-door waste collection.
• Chennai: 5,478 battery-operated e-rickshaws across all 15 zones.
• Indore: 100 electric waste-collection vehicles supported by solar charging stations.

Digital Faecal Sludge Management

• Raipur Municipal Corporation introduced an FSM dashboard prototype based on the UPYOG platform.
• Residents can:
  • Book desludging services
  • Make payments
  • Track services digitally
• Uses mobile number or property ID to locate the address.
• Supports the “one application, one trip” approach.
• Drivers upload photographs after completing work for digital verification.
• Enables real-time vehicle monitoring and resource planning.
• Supports the shift from manual sewer cleaning to mechanised cleaning.

G-SPIDER: AI-powered Canal Cleaning

• Deployed by Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation in the Amayizhanchan Canal.
• Developed by Genrobotic Innovations, based in Technopark.
• Uses:
  • Machine vision
  • Sensor intelligence
  • Five-degrees-of-freedom mechanism
  • Biomimetic claw
• Designed to handle mixed and irregular debris.
• Helps reduce worker exposure to:
  • Toxic gases
  • Contaminated water
  • Hazardous waste
• Can operate under high water levels and continuous-flow conditions.

Electric Waste Collection

Guntur

• More than 200 electric autos used for door-to-door waste collection.
• Vehicles equipped with GPS tracking.
• Eliminates more than 71,000 litres of diesel annually.
• Estimated reduction of 21,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over a decade.

Chennai

• 5,478 battery-operated e-rickshaws deployed across all 15 zones.
• Each vehicle travels around 40 km/day.
• Separate bins for:
  • Wet waste
  • Dry waste
  • Hazardous waste
• Covers 24,621 streets and more than 2.1 million households.
• Audio systems spread waste-segregation messages.
• Supports employment for more than 6,000 people.
• Reduces around 41 tonnes of carbon emissions daily, equivalent to 15,160 tonnes annually.

Indore

• 100 electric vehicles used for door-to-door waste collection in core areas.
• GPS monitoring through the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
• Expected annual carbon-emission reduction: 24,918 tonnes.
• Expected annual fuel and maintenance savings: ₹5.97 crore.
• 20 solar charging stations established.
• Each station has 10 kW solar panels.
• Together generate 800-1,000 units of green energy daily.
• Can charge 80-100 vehicles per day.

Prelims Quick Revision

• Raipur: FSM dashboard based on UPYOG.
• G-SPIDER: AI-powered canal-cleaning system deployed in Thiruvananthapuram.
• G-SPIDER uses a five-degrees-of-freedom mechanism.
• Guntur: 200+ electric autos and GPS-based monitoring.
• Chennai: 5,478 e-rickshaws across 15 zones.
• Chennai fleet covers 24,621 streets and 2.1+ million households.
• Indore: 100 electric waste-collection vehicles and 20 solar charging stations.
• Indore solar stations generate 800-1,000 units/day and can charge 80-100 vehicles/day.

UPSC Prelims Trap

• UPYOG is associated with the Raipur digital FSM dashboard, not the G-SPIDER robotic system.
• G-SPIDER is a canal-cleaning robot deployed in Thiruvananthapuram, while electric waste-collection initiatives highlighted are in Guntur, Chennai and Indore.
• Chennai’s e-rickshaws integrate waste segregation through separate bins for wet, dry and hazardous waste.
• Indore’s solar charging stations are linked with its electric waste-collection fleet and not with the Raipur FSM dashboard.