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Just a while ago, CIJ had a video on what causes Indian cities to issue an increasing number of red alerts every monsoon.
We now know that the flooding is just a symptom; the problem is much deeper.
From imported dredgers to robots, India is tackling drain cleaning head-on. Yet, the high cost of these tools keeps adoption out of reach for most cities.
How can tier 2, 3 & 4 cities get the ball rolling on a budget?
It’s time to widen the scope of ‘innovation’.
Drain Cleaning Equipment Market
According to recent data, India is among the fastest-growing markets in the global drain cleaning equipment segment, projected to post a CAGR of 7.4% through 2035.
With tools increasingly adopting AI, smart sensors, and eco-friendly materials, the drain cleaning equipment market is poised for intelligent, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions.
Drain Directives: Comprehensive Cleanup
- Equipment Level:
Large litter collection machines (Gobblers, Scavengers, Sweepers etc) to prevent urban litter from entering drains.
Sludgers, desilters, suction–cum–jetting vehicles, robotic cleaners, and portable jetting, deployed routinely at relevant locations.
There needs to public-private partnership to identify how equipment should evolve.
- Cleaning Solution Level:
It’s not just about pressure and power. Understanding the nature of waste is equally important.
Using enzyme-based solutions, water-recycling jetting systems, and reducing chemical dependency.
Ensuring cleaning doesn’t disrupt living with lighter materials, low-noise engines, and reduced water consumption.
- Purchase Model / Investment Level:
Leasing, pay-per-use, and Equipment-as-a-Service (EaaS) models to overcome high CapEx barriers.
Shared ownership or subscription models can help tier 2–4 cities modernize without upfront investments.
Actions Beyond Cleaning:
1. Empathy Erosion
Why does a USD 7.85 billion industry in 2025 still cost lives?
Despite manual scavenging being banned in 2013, it persists.
In over 150 deaths reported via drain and septic tank cleaning, 90% of workers have lacked safety gear. Sewer divers are often not trained professionals, but marginalized individuals risking their lives for survival.
The question isn’t: Why would anybody risk their lives by doing this job?
It is: Why do citizens still litter without a thought?
India’s sanitation cannot exclude empathy. Public dustbins, segregation at source, and safe, accessible STPs must be part of this transformation.
2. Policy to Pavement: Where Do Sponge Cities and Smart Waste Plans Meet?
India’s growing network of Smart Cities, Green Buildings, and Sponge City projects all rest on a single foundation — how well we manage water and waste.
Master plans promise sustainable stormwater management, yet gaps in implementation persist. Smart drainage starts with planning, zoning, and design that prevent overloads before they occur.
Policies like AMRUT 2.0, Swachh Bharat Urban, and emerging State Climate Resilience Plans can only succeed if connected directly to the machines, sensors, and systems on the ground.
3. Waste to Wealth Measures
Every kilogram of silt, sludge, and debris pulled from our drains holds hidden value.
Municipalities like Indore, Pune, and Surat are piloting “zero-waste drain” projects — where desilted materials are dried, treated, and repurposed rather than dumped back into landfills.
Incorporating waste valorization into drain cleaning contracts can transform the economics of maintenance — shifting it from a cost-centre to a resource-recovery model.
The future of Indian drainage lies not just in clearing what clogs our cities, but in recovering what can sustain them.
