Patna is set to adopt robotic technology for manhole and drain cleaning, with the Patna Municipal Corporation approving the purchase of 12 robotic rovers for use across the city.
The machines will be deployed across six municipal circles, with two rovers allocated to each circle. The move is aimed at making drainage maintenance safer and more efficient while reducing the need for sanitation workers to enter manholes.
Technology To Make Drain Cleaning Safer
The robotic rovers will be capable of cleaning both vertical and horizontal manholes, as well as stormwater drains and other drainage structures.
The machines will be mounted on light commercial vehicles, allowing them to be transported and deployed in different parts of the city as required.
The initiative is particularly significant for cleaning locations where accumulated waste, silt and other material can make manual operations difficult and hazardous.
Reducing Dependence On Manual Cleaning
Manhole and drain cleaning in Patna is currently carried out largely through manual methods. In some cases, sanitation workers have to enter manholes to remove accumulated material.
The introduction of robotic rovers will allow cleaning operations to be carried out remotely in such locations, reducing workers’ exposure to potentially unsafe confined spaces and helping shorten the time required for cleaning.
The municipal corporation expects the technology to improve both the safety of sanitation workers and the overall efficiency of drainage maintenance.
Useful During Monsoon
The robotic equipment is expected to be particularly useful in areas prone to waterlogging, where blocked drains and stormwater systems can restrict the flow of rainwater.
Patna Municipal Corporation conducts special cleaning drives before the monsoon every year. The availability of dedicated robotic equipment could strengthen these operations and allow machines to be moved between areas according to requirements.
The state urban development department has also directed authorities to ensure adequate modern equipment for the cleaning and monitoring of manholes.
More Than 53,000 Manholes Mapped
Patna Municipal Corporation has identified 53,606 manholes and 41,594 catchpits within its jurisdiction.
Their locations have been digitally recorded through GIS tagging, creating a database that can support cleaning, monitoring, maintenance and repair activities.
The digital mapping of these assets, combined with the planned deployment of robotic cleaning equipment, is expected to make drainage management more systematic.
Focus On Worker Safety
The move also comes amid concerns over the safety of sanitation workers involved in manual manhole cleaning.
A Human Rights Commission team inspected manhole-cleaning arrangements in the city on July 20, including the risks associated with workers entering manholes.
Manual cleaning can expose workers to hazardous conditions, including the risk of contact with toxic gases inside confined spaces. The proposed use of robotic rovers is therefore aimed at shifting more of these operations towards safer mechanised methods.
A Step Towards Modern Urban Services
The procurement of 12 robotic rovers marks a move towards greater mechanisation in Patna’s sanitation and drainage services.
With the machines available across six municipal circles, the civic body will be able to deploy them in areas requiring specialised cleaning, particularly where conventional methods are difficult to use.
The initiative is expected to strengthen routine drain maintenance, improve worker safety and support Patna’s efforts to modernise its urban infrastructure.
