Jaipur: Nearly three months after two sanitation workers died while cleaning a sewer in Jaipur, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) has started deploying robotic machines for sewer cleaning, replacing manual entry into manholes in a move aimed at improving worker safety.A robotic sewer-cleaning machine was deployed at Jaisinghpura Khor Thursday. Following the April tragedy, JMC imposed a complete ban on workers entering sewer chambers and has since introduced three robotic machines to carry out the work.Each machine, costing about Rs 37 lakh, is equipped with a camera and display screen that allows operators to monitor and control the cleaning process from outside the manhole. The machine descends into the sewer, removes waste and reduces workers’ exposure to toxic gases. Workers are only required to open the manhole cover before operating the system remotely.However, officials said the technology is not yet capable of handling all types of sewer lines. Narrow, congested and technically complex stretches, particularly in areas such as Hanuman Nagar, Jhotwara and the Walled City, continue to pose challenges. With only three machines currently available, JMC is also struggling to meet the city’s extensive sewer maintenance requirements.“The biggest advantage is that workers no longer have to enter the sewer. However, the machines are still not as effective as manual cleaning in some situations. We are working to improve the technology so that manual sewer cleaning can eventually be eliminated,” said Gopal Moond, executive engineer (XEN), JMC.Officials said while robotic cleaning marks a significant step towards safer sanitation practices, expanding the fleet and improving the machines’ capabilities will be crucial to fully replacing manual sewer cleaning across the city.
