PM Lays Foundation for ₹175-Crore Bio-Gas Plant in Bhubaneswar, Inaugurates Water Projects

Bhubaneswar: Taking a major step towards building a cleaner and more resource-efficient urban ecosystem, Odisha on Friday expanded its sustainable infrastructure portfolio with the launch of a large-scale waste-to-energy project in Bhubaneswar and the inauguration of new drinking water infrastructure projects in Ganjam district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for a 300 TPD Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) Plant at Meherpalli and inaugurated upgraded drinking water facilities for Chatrapur NAC and Digapahandi NAC, strengthening both environmental management and urban service delivery in the state.

The Meherpalli project is expected to become a key component of Bhubaneswar’s long-term waste management strategy by converting municipal wet waste into renewable energy and value-added products through scientific processing.

Developed jointly by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Oil India Limited (OIL), the project involves an investment of ₹175 crore and aims to establish an integrated waste processing model aligned with circular economy principles.

The facility will operate using advanced bio-methanation and anaerobic digestion technology to process segregated wet waste and generate clean Compressed Bio-Gas. Once operational, it is expected to produce 10–14 tonnes of CBG every day, while also generating organic manure and liquid bio-fertilizers for agricultural use.

Officials said BMC has allocated nearly 10 acres of land at Meherpalli and will supply around 200 metric tonnes of segregated wet waste daily for plant operations. The infrastructure has also been designed to accommodate future expansion up to 300 tonnes per day.

By diverting wet waste from conventional disposal systems and reducing landfill dependency, the project is expected to improve urban sanitation outcomes and contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The replacement of fossil fuels with renewable bio-gas and use of organic by-products are also expected to deliver environmental benefits over the long term.

To ensure environmentally compliant operations, the plant design includes dedicated pollution-control measures and an in-built Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) for treatment of leachate and process residues.

Beyond environmental gains, the initiative is projected to create employment opportunities, including more than 60 direct jobs, alongside additional livelihood opportunities in waste collection, segregation, logistics and support services.

Alongside the waste-to-energy project, two drinking water infrastructure projects were dedicated to the public. The ₹16.40-crore water supply improvement project in Chatrapur NAC and the ₹10.16-crore infrastructure augmentation project in Digapahandi NAC are expected to improve reliability and access to safe drinking water for residents.

Officials said the Digapahandi project includes construction of an intake well and development of a Rising Water Raw Main system to strengthen long-term water supply capacity.

According to Oil India Limited, the Meherpalli Compressed Bio-Gas plant is targeted for completion by April 2027.

A programme was organised at the project site in Meherpalli in the presence of public representatives, officials of the Housing and Urban Development Department, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and Oil India Limited.