MP introduces tech-led highway sanitation to boost Swachh Bharat Mission
Bhopal: In a bid to ensure hygienic, safer and more aesthetically pleasing highways, the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) on Thursday signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Zila Panchayat Sehore for the operation of a fully mechanised road-cleaning system.
The agreement was executed under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds of the State Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), Panchayat and Rural Development Department (P&RDD), Government of MP.
Under the arrangement, the Zila Panchayat has provided a fully mechanised vehicle-mounted road vacuum litter collection machine, popularly known as the ‘Jatayu’ machine, to the MPRDC.
In the presence of Additional Chief Secretary of the P&RDD Dipali Rastogi, the MoU was signed by MPRDC Managing Director Bharat Yadav and Director of Panchayat Department, Chhote Singh.
“The initiative has been launched as a pilot project on the Bhopal–Dewas State Highway (constructed and operated by the MPRDC). Based on its success, the mechanised cleaning system will be expanded to all roads and highways under the Corporation,” Bharat Yadav, MD of the MPRDC, told Millennium Post.
Bharat Yadav, a 2008-batch IAS officer, is widely recognised for driving innovation-led governance. During his tenure as Commissioner of Urban Development, he played a pivotal role in the effective implementation of the Centre’s flagship schemes, helping position Madhya Pradesh among the leading states nationally. Subsequently, as Secretary to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, he has been instrumental in strengthening policy execution and inter-departmental coordination, contributing to the state achieving top rankings across multiple sectors.
“Waste collected through the machine will be scientifically segregated—plastic waste will be sent for recycling, biodegradable waste for composting, and residual waste to secure landfills,” Yadav added.
He said the systematic approach is aimed at promoting sustainable waste management practices alongside public cleanliness. The waste disposal process will be carried out in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The machine will be operated along the Bhopal–Dewas State Highway, covering areas under local urban bodies and gram panchayats, ensuring that both rural and urban populations benefit equally from improved sanitation services.
