Kerala first state to use robotic scavengers to clean manholes

Guruvayur, Kerala:

The Kerala government on Friday launched Bandicoot, a robot scavenger, to clean sewage in the temple town, becoming the first state in the country to use robotic technology to clean all its operational manholes.

Water Resources Minister Roshi Augustine launched Bandicoot under Guruvayur sewerage project in Thrissur district by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) as part of the state government’s 100-day action plan.

“With the launch of the project in Guruvayur, the practice of manual scavenging has come to an end in Kerala. Now Kerala has become the first state in the country to use robotic scavengers for manhole cleaning,” the minister claimed in a release. uses instruments.”

The robotic tron ​​unit, which is the key component of the Bandicoot, enters the manhole and removes sewage using robotic hands, similar to a man’s limbs, the release said, adding that the machine has waterproof, HD vision cameras and sensors Which can detect harmful gases inside. Manhole.

Bandicoot, developed by Kerala-based Genrobotics, recently won the ‘Kerala Pride’ award at the Huddle Global 2022 Conclave organized by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM).

Inaugurating the robotic scavenger at Guruvayur Municipality, Augustine said it is a major step towards the use of technology-driven solutions for cleaning manholes across the state.

“With the deployment of Bandicoot in Guruvayur, all commissioned manholes have been transformed into robotic revolution. A special team of KWA officials will be constituted to conduct robotic cleaning in Guruvayur… Modernization of sewerage system will help in this spread of pandemics and serious health challenges caused by them,” the minister said.

Vimal Govind MK, Director, Genrobotic Innovations, briefed the audience about the technology at the event held at P Krishna Pillai Square here.

He said that Bandicoot will clean all the ongoing sewerage and drainage in Kerala.

Bandicoot robots are currently deployed in some cities across 17 states and three union territories of India. In 2018, KWA started using bandicoots for cleaning manholes in Thiruvananthapuram. Later it was also introduced in Ernakulam, the release said.

Genrobotics, a Technopark-based company, has developed Bandicoot, the “world’s first robotic scavenger”, in an effort to eliminate manual scavenging providing relief for workers engaged in manhole cleaning.

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