The Vadavathoor dumping yard, which has been the centre of protests for decades, is set to make way for a series of development projects.

The Kottayam municipality has come up with plans to transform the site into a multi-purpose development hub, with projects including a convention centre being planned. Construction is expected to commence once biomining and the clearance of the existing waste at the nine-acre site are completed.

According to municipal authorities, 50% of the biomining process at the Vadavathoor dumping yard has been completed, with the remaining work expected to be finished within a couple of months. “Plans are afoot to construct a modern convention centre with sufficient parking on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. The remaining space will be utilised for various other purposes,” said an official.

The civic body also intends to establish a street dog protection centre at the location. Encouraged by the success of the biomining efforts, there are also plans to develop a modern and sustainable waste processing facility on the site.

For years, waste had been accumulated at the dump site in Vadavathoor, located in Vijayapuram grama panchayat and owned by the Kottayam municipality. The waste is currently being removed through the biomining and bioremediation process with technical and financial support of the Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP). The project is being carried out with a total budget of ₹16.16 crore from the KSWMP and an additional ₹1.4 crore from the Suchitwa Mission under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).

The sorted waste, which includes non-recyclable and fuel-convertible (RDF - Refuse-Derived Fuel) plastic, will be sent to a cement factory in Tamil Nadu. It is estimated that over 1,01,097 cubic metres of waste remain at the site, with the waste reaching a height of 5.77 metres above the ground.The waste is being segregated with a trommel equipped with a conveyor belt into three categories.

A team led by District Collector Chetan Kumar Meena and municipal chairman visited the site recently and reviewed the progress of biomining process. The Collector directed the biomining company to complete their work in a time bound manner.