New biogas project to come up at Coimbatore dumpyard

As the quest for scientific solid waste management is gaining momentum in the county, the Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration KN Nehru has laid the foundation stone for a Rs 69 crore biogas plant at the Vellalore dump yard in Coimbatore.

Designed to process 250 tonnes of biodegradable waste daily, the facility aims to promote sustainable and eco-friendly waste management practices in the city.

Earlier in the day, KN Nehru inspected several major civic projects. These included the Rs 167-crore Semmozhi Poonga park being developed on the premises of the old Central Prison at Gandhipuram, and a Rs 9.6-crore international-standard hockey turf at the R. S. Puram Corporation Higher Secondary School. He also reviewed progress on a new sewage treatment plant and garbage transfer station at Kavundampalayam, as well as the Rs 591-crore Kurichi–Kuniyamuthur drinking water and underground drainage project.

Vellalore Dump Yard

The Vellalore dump yard, one of the largest in Tamil Nadu, has long been a challenge for the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC). In December 2024 alone, more than 3,882 tonnes of mixed waste were dumped at the site, according to official data.

To tackle this mounting crisis, the Corporation has lined up multiple projects to clear decades of accumulated waste. In the latest budget, the mayor announced the second phase of the bio-mining project, the installation of a biogas and waste-to-energy plant, and plantation drives to restore recovered land.

The new biogas facility marks a significant step forward in the city’s efforts to convert waste into resources and transition towards greener urban infrastructure.

Series of biogas plants by city corporations

City corporations in Tamil Nadu are striving to build multiple biogas or waste to energy projects to bolster the circular economy and protect the natural environment.

Last year, The Tiruchirappalli City Municipal Corporation has issued tenders to establish a bio-compressed natural gas (CNG) plant and a materials recovery facility (MRF) at the Ariyamangalam dump yard. The Madurai Corporation has tendered a proposal worth Rs 314 crore to MoHUA for the construction of a waste-to-energy plant near the Vellaikal dumpyard.

Similarly, a bio-CNG project on 10-acres site will come up at Salem’s Chettichavadi dump yard soon. Moreover, Refex Renewables & Infrastructure Ltd. announced recently that its wholly-owned subsidiary will be setting up a 250 TPD Bio-CNG plant in Coimbatore.