Maharashtra To Deploy 100 Robots For Safe Manhole Cleaning Amid Audit Criticism

Mumbai: In response to growing concerns over the safety of sanitation workers, the Maharashtra government has announced plans to procure 100 robotic machines for manhole cleaning across 27 municipal corporations. The move follows a scathing social audit commissioned by the Union Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment, which highlighted grave lapses in worker safety across several cities in the state.

Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat made the announcement on Tuesday, acknowledging the need for urgent intervention after the audit revealed critical failures in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Parbhani, Satara and Shirur. Between 2021 and 2024, at least 18 sanitation workers lost their lives in Maharashtra due to hazardous working conditions and the absence of basic safety measures.

“The audit made it clear that neither the authorities nor the contractors followed safety protocols. Protective gear was missing, emergency responses were inadequate, and there was clear negligence,” said a senior official involved in the audit process, as quoted by Mid-day.

Pilot Trials To Take Place In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Minister Shirsat told reporters that the state will begin with a pilot trial of the new robot in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation. “We will conduct a one-month trial there, and if successful, we will roll out 100 such robots across the state,” he said.

These robots, according to the minister, are indigenously developed and offer a significant improvement over the currently used models. “The existing robots have limited capabilities. The new machines will have a higher capacity for cleaning and segregating waste. They will be more effective in ensuring thorough sanitation while reducing human involvement in hazardous work,” Shirsat explained.

The social justice department will be responsible for procuring the robots and supplying them to the urban development department, which will then handle distribution among municipal corporations.

This initiative is being positioned as a long-overdue step towards mechanising sanitation work and eliminating the need for manual scavenging, a practice that continues despite being outlawed. The audit findings added pressure on the state government to act swiftly and decisively to protect sanitation workers and improve working conditions.

If implemented effectively, the robotic deployment could mark a turning point in Maharashtra’s sanitation infrastructure, aiming to save lives while modernising outdated systems.