Five New Jet Machines Added to Clean Roads | Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Image Source: The Himalayan Times

Five New Jet Machines Added to Clean Roads | Kathmandu Metropolitan City

On the occasion of World Cleanup Day (WCD), Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) added five new jet machines that will help in cleaning the roads in the city. With an engine capacity of 130 horsepower, clogged drains in the city will be kept free of waterlogging during rainfall.

KMC Mayor, Bidya Sundar Shakya installed the five new jet machines at an event of World Cleanup Day in Santi Batika, Ratnapark. The metropolis spent NPR. 28.5 million to buy the machines two months ago. Each machine has 130 horsepower and can hold up to 6,000 liters of water supplied from Balaju Baisdhara Park.

Speaking at the event Mayor Shakya said, “Using only machines cannot keep the city clean. People should change their mentality first and should feel responsible for managing the solid waste produced from their households.”

KMC’s spokesperson, Gyanendra Karki stated, “Each machine has the capacity to hold 5,000 liters of water and 1,000 liters of sewage in two separate tanks. The smaller tanks can store sewage from drain and water from the larger tank which will clean the blocked drains.” He also stated, “Now we will not have to use a separate machine. This will help us to remove the blocked drainage too.”

About the cleaning process, the machines of Euro Standard-4 has two separate truck-mounted tanks which can hold up to 4,000 liters of clean water and 1,000 liters of wastewater or silt. The two tanks are connected with a pipe which can be lowered into the drain to suck or release water. The machines with 120 meters high-pressure pump draw silt from drains and stores it in smaller tanks and releases clean water to wash off the surface of the drain.

The use of the machines is expected to cut down on manual cleaning of wastewater drains in the metropolis. Similarly, a spray gun fitted with the machine can be used to wash the dust off plants and make the streets free of dust.

Air pollution is the major issue in Kathmandu valley and is continuously increasing year by year. The jet machines will ensure that the sanitation staff of the civic body does not have to go down the drains for clean-up.

KMC’s Deputy Mayor, Hari Prabha Khadgi urged the KMC to change its method of cleaning. “Removing the dust and dumping it into drainage should stop. It may keep the road clean, but block the whole drainage system,” he said.

On the Cleanup day, the metropolis cleaned areas in Ratnapark, Ranipokhari, Bagbajar, Putalisadak and Bhrikutimandap under KMC’s Environment Division.

 

Reference: The Kathmandu Post