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The promise of autonomous cleaning machines has reshaped facility management across Europe and the Far East. On Indian floors, the answer to whether the industry is ready, is anything but unanimous. It is not a question of whether robotics will come to India — they have already arrived. The question is whether they will work here, and what it will take to make them work well. Mohana M, Editor-Clean India Journal, engaged in conversations with industry leaders and professionals who map the scepticism, optimism and patient pragmatism that surrounds robotic cleaning in India today.
The Sceptics: ‘Our basics are still not there’
Vivek Mata, Managing Director, and Vedant Matta, Director Sales of Charnock Equipments Pvt. Ltd
Q. Why do cleaning robots operate more smoothly on structured shopfloors abroad compared to India?
Vedant Matta: Take an ideal example of a shop floor: As scheduled the trolleys come in and the loading and unloading takes place from 11am until 3pm. Thus, when the cleaning robot moves in, there is no obstacle on the shop floor. Whereas in India, the robot keeps moving and stopping with continuous movement of manpower, trolleys and pallets.
Q. How do crowd movement and obstacles impact the efficiency of robotic cleaning in public spaces like malls?
Vivek Mata: Take a live example of a mall with about 50 to 100 people and one robotic machine moving along. With people moving all around, the machine keeps moving and stopping. It takes a diversion and again finds somebody there. It waits, then goes ahead, then finds another obstacle, and moves ahead again. To complete the cleaning cycle in the entire area, it will take three times the duration. If I take a manual machine and move in the same area, I will be able to clean it in no time because a person is guiding the machine and people are moving aside.
Q. Why does India lag in adopting autonomous machines like forklifts and material handling equipment?
Vedant Matta: Our infrastructure does not support the use of autonomous cleaning machines and even autonomous material handling equipment? The world uses autonomous forklifts, but in India, we still rely on manpower for bringing in parcels, packing them and sending them.
Q. How important is operator training and skill development for effective use of cleaning machines?
Vivek Mata: The person operating has to be qualified and capable of facing practical issues on-site. The facility management service providers have to train their workers and ensure they develop expertise. Janitors have no clue on how to maintain a machine.
Q. Are foundational gaps in infrastructure and skills slowing down the adoption of AI and robotics in India?
Vedant Matta: We are talking about AI and robotics, whereas our basics are still not there. I think that is a huge focus area which we need to address every day.
