The Kochi Corporation has launched a request for qualification (RFQ) for the PPP project to develop a new waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram, in the state of Kerala, India.

Public sector company KITCO Ltd was appointed to prepare a feasibility report for building the new waste treatment plant.

The decision to construct a new plant was taken after the existing plant at Brahmapuram developed a series of technical snags. At present, a private agency maintains and runs the plant for the Corporation.

The total investment is estimated at Rs 3500 million (US$59 million). The project will be developed on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.

The shortlist is scheduled to be published on July 16 2014.

T K Ashra, Corporation Health Committee Chairman, stated:

If everything goes well, we will be able to complete the project and conduct its trial run within 15 months from signing of the Concession Agreement (CA).

The state government's plan is to set up a modern solid waste treatment plant which can generate energy from garbage. Many technologies, including pyrolysis and plasma gasification, were considered for the project. The new plant will be based on 'solid-waste-to-energy' technology.

With the new waste plant, the civic body will decentralise waste management in the city and adjoined municipal areas. Once the plant starts functioning, the biodegradable waste from residential and commercial buildings will be treated at source itself.