Launched in Agra in early 2025, Uttar Pradesh’s mechanised sewer maintenance programme has already seen Bandicoot clean over 1,500 manholes, laying the groundwork for wider adoption across the state.
VA Tech Wabag has introduced ‘Bandicoot’—the world’s first robotic manhole cleaner—in Ghaziabad, marking a significant step in the city’s sanitation modernisation drive. The deployment is part of the ‘One City, One Operator’ model, under which Wabag is responsible for managing and upgrading urban sanitation services with a focus on safety, efficiency, and dignity.
The initiative builds on Uttar Pradesh’s state-wide programme for mechanised sewer maintenance. First launched in Agra in February 2025, the model saw Bandicoot clean over 1,500 manholes within six months. The programme gained further momentum when Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the robot in Gorakhpur, reinforcing the state’s commitment to eliminating manual scavenging. Operations are also set to begin in Bulandshahr this month.
Bandicoot, developed by Genrobotics Innovations, was first introduced in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of India’s broader sanitation reform agenda. It supports national missions such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Swachh Survekshan, and the Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge, all of which promote safe and dignified sanitation practices.
The robot is engineered to eliminate the need for human entry into hazardous sewer spaces. Equipped with a robotic arm, stabilising legs, and an integrated bucket system, Bandicoot can descend into manholes, remove hardened sludge and blockages, and restore flow—all while ensuring operator safety.
Beyond technology deployment, VA Tech Wabag is conducting training programmes to help sanitation workers transition into certified robotic operators, enabling skill development and long-term employment.
With operations now active in Ghaziabad and soon in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh is emerging as a frontrunner in technology-led urban sanitation. The collaboration between government, industry, and innovation is reshaping sewer maintenance across the state, replacing manual scavenging with safer, mechanised systems.