Chennai Metrowater engages robotic technology to clean sewers in three city zones

Chennai Metrowater introduces bandicoot mobility robots to clean sewer lines effectively, enhancing maintenance and reducing clogging.

In its efforts to ensure effective maintenance of the sewer network and reduce clogging of lines, Chennai Metrowater has added bandicoot mobility, a robot that cleans maintenance holes, to its fleet of sewer machines.

The water agency now operates these devices in zone 6 (Thiru.Vi.Ka.Nagar), 9 (Teynampet) and 13 (Adyar) to desilt the maintenance holes. Officials of the Metrowater said the device mounted on a vehicle comprises a stand unit, which has control panels and a robotic drone system with spider-like legs that is lowered into the manholes to remove clogged waste from the sewer lines.

Unlike the desilting machines, the robotic unit would have both vertical and horizontal movement for effective waste collection from the clogged lines. The unit is equipped with underwater camera and sensors, including gas sensors to detect hazardous gases.

These devices can empty chambers of a minimum depth of eight metres. The vehicle integrated unit also has garbage dumper and a guiding system to position the robotic unit over the manhole precisely. They can be operated in manholes of sizes varying from 450-600 mm in diameter.

They can also be unloaded from vehicles and used independently in narrow areas. The robotic units were procured through corporate social responsibility funding from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, officials said.

Recalling other proposals to adopt smart solutions for better maintenance of sewer infrastructure and detect leaks and blocks in water distribution pipelines, officials said endobots, which are robotic machines, are deployed to patrol the network and detect leaks and blocks.

With cameras for its eyes, these machines identify the issue and send reports on action taken. These are now hired whenever necessary for use in a few locations across the city.