There is finally a ray of hope for citizens tired of seeing overflowing, stinking garbage bins. In a first, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inaugurated two underground garbage bins in Mumbai. While two more are likely to come up in the city in the near future, the corporation is hoping to replicate these bins elsewhere if they prove useful.

In August last year, the BMC had taken up the project to install underground garbage bins in the city to prevent littering and avoid odour from open bins. After receiving the all-clear for two locations, the team started work. It was decided that four bins will be installed on a pilot basis.

On Friday, the underground garbage bin near Mafatlal Club at Girgaum Chowpatty was inaugurated by Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, Deputy Mayor Hemangi Worlikar, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray and Assistant Municipal Commissioner, D-ward, Vishwas Mote. Another one installed at Cheetah Gate in Fort was also opened for use subsequently. Work on the other two is under way.

Civic officials said while they were eager to record the response, they are looking for appropriate spaces in the city to install two more bins that are a part of the pilot project. “This is an important idea that can be replicated to eliminate garbage on the road. We always associate dustbins as dirty. Dustbins should be clean so that one can go closer and throw garbage into them,” said Mr. Thackeray.

While both the bins have been fit in a 10 sq-m space, the bins are of 1.1 cubic m and cost ₹8 lakh each, with separate provisions for wet and dry waste. Conservancy workers can also use these for temporary storage. While pedestrians and passersby can use the opening on the top, workers can use two other openings on the right side.

“Sometimes bins in the vicinity overflow before the garbage van can clear it the next day. During these times, those bins could be emptied in these,” an official from the Solid Waste Management Department said.

Vishwas Shankarwar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, said the bins will be cleaned regularly for maintenance. “Our workers will attend to the bins on a daily basis to empty them. By using a hydraulic jack connected to the garbage truck, the bins will be lifted from underneath. They will be emptied and refitted. We will also clean them with detergents if dirtied from the outside,” he said.

Mr. Shankarwar said that utilities such as underground wires and pipes are a huge challenge to the team. “In Mumbai, several roads have utilities passing from below the road. These bins require some depth underneath. We have to choose locations that have broad roads and wide footpaths. The installation work can be done in around three months,” he said. “These four places were randomly chosen to test the idea, gather response and take a call on its replication,” he added.