Andhra Pradesh launches e-rickshaws for waste disposal

After adopting electric bikes in Vishakhapatnam, the government of Andhra Pradesh has deployed pollution-free electric auto-rickshaws for waste disposal. The state’s Chief Minister Nara Chandra Babu Naidu inaugurated the deployment of these autos at the AP Secretariat. This has made Andhra Pradesh as the first state in India to use e-autos for waste disposal, which will be used in the city of Vijayawada.

“The city’s waste management system can now be monitored from a single location by officials at Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC). This initiative transforms public space waste management with mobile and cloud-connected system. Our fleet of electric vehicles communicates real-time status to software systems. Communities benefit from optimized & streamlined operations, beautified public spaces and reduced carbon footprint.” said J Nivas, commissioner, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

With the inclusion of advanced technology in the waste disposal system, municipal supervisors can now track several aspects such as waste pick up points, vehicle routes and disposal alerts. This will make it easier for residents to dispose off waste responsibly and help municipal workers be more efficient.

The smart electric autos run for around 100 kilometres per charge and have a running cost of as low as 50 paise per kilometer. With the adoption of these electric autos, running cost will be reduced from Rs 3.50/km to Rs 0.50/km. GMW says that each diesel auto replaced will reduce about 35 tons of carbon emissions over a period of five years. As much as 200,000 tons of carbon emissions can be reduced by replacing 5000+ municipal disposal vehicles across the state with electric vehicles.