Hyderabad Struggles to Manage Growing Municipal Waste as Dumpyards Reach Capacity
Hyderabad, the second-highest generator of municipal solid waste (MSW) in India, is facing a mounting waste management crisis. The city generates approximately 8,000 tonnes of waste every day, a number that has increased significantly in recent years. With the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) struggling to process and scientifically dispose of this waste, the need for new dumpyards has never been more pressing.
Currently, Hyderabad has only one major dumpyard—located in Jawaharnagar—which has reached its saturation point. This facility processes a significant portion of the city’s waste, but it is now unable to cope with the growing demands. The city’s waste generation has been steadily increasing, with figures rising from 5,300 tonnes per day in 2018 to the current 8,000 tonnes per day in 2024-25. In comparison, Delhi generates around 11,000 tonnes per day, and Mumbai handles 6,000 to 6,500 tonnes.
To address this issue, the GHMC is working to establish three new dumpyards in the city, with sites already identified for the proposed facilities. The upcoming state-of-the-art MSW processing facility at Pyaranagar in Gummadidala mandal of Sangareddy district is one of the key projects aimed at alleviating the pressure on Jawaharnagar. The new facility is expected to handle 2,000 tonnes of waste per day, which would make a significant contribution towards reducing the burden on existing facilities. Despite the advantages of the Pyaranagar project, it has faced resistance from local political parties and the Air Force Academy at Dundigal, which has raised safety concerns due to the proximity of the facility to the academy’s training area. The academy has expressed worries about the risk of bird strikes, which could pose a threat to aircraft and personnel. These objections have slowed the progress of the project, and the GHMC is yet to resolve the issue.
The Pyaranagar facility is expected to be a model of sustainable waste management, featuring a closed-circuit system designed to handle daily waste in an environmentally responsible manner. The plant will incorporate an advanced dry anaerobic digestion model for biogas production from organic waste, and a Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) processing unit, which will generate 15 MW of electricity. This is a major step towards reducing landfill waste and promoting renewable energy. In addition to Pyaranagar, the GHMC has also proposed two other sites for waste processing facilities. The first, located in Lakdaram in Medak, covers 100 acres, while the second in Choutuppal, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, spans 200 acres. These sites are intended for recycling MSW and setting up waste-to-energy plants, providing much-needed capacity to process the growing waste stream.
The Jawaharnagar facility currently generates electricity from 60-70% of the 8,000 tonnes of waste, thanks to its 24 MW power plant. However, the plant is not capable of handling the entire volume of waste, leading to overflowing trash and an unbearable stench in the surrounding areas. The GHMC is focused on establishing the new facilities to reduce the pressure on Jawaharnagar and improve air and water quality in the area. Hyderabad’s increasing waste generation has become a significant challenge for the GHMC, which is under pressure to find long-term solutions. The proposed new facilities and processing plants are crucial to alleviating the current waste management burden, but ongoing resistance and logistical challenges may delay the implementation of these critical projects. If the city is to effectively manage its growing waste and reduce environmental impacts, it will need to resolve these issues swiftly and ensure that the new facilities are brought online as soon as possible.
