Mumbai: Two unmanned electric boats will soon patrol the waters around Sassoon Dock and Jamshedji Port to scoop up floating garbage, with the BMC approving ₹3.64 crore for their deployment, operation and maintenance. The civic body plans to use the remotely operated boats to mechanically remove marine waste and expand the technology to other waterfronts in south Mumbai.

Unmanned electric boats to remove marine waste at Sassoon Dock, Jamshedji Port.

BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide has approved the project, with the solid waste management department now working on the tender conditions.

The move follows the deployment of two unmanned electric boats at the Gateway of India and Badhwar Park in May. BJP corporator from Colaba Makarand Narwekar said the boats are currently collecting around 80-90 kg of floating waste a day.

“Successful removal of marine waste through unmanned boats is encouraging. The project has now received approval from the BMC chief and budgetary provision has also been made. The tender will be floated soon,” Narwekar said.

The boats are remotely controlled and designed to collect floating garbage, reducing the need for workers to manually remove waste from the sea. The collected waste is segregated before being sent for recycling, Narwekar said.

“Physically picking up garbage would take more time. Hence, these unmanned vehicles are used and controlled remotely. The trash collected from the sea is sent for recycling after segregation. This helps improve the aesthetics of the waterfront and reduce the presence of plastic in the sea,” he said.

The boats have an operating range of around 500 metres and run on batteries, with solar panels providing additional power.

The BMC intends to deploy the technology at other key waterfront locations after Sassoon Dock and Jamshedji Port, as part of its efforts to improve waste management along the city’s coastline.