Belagavi City Corporation is set to introduce robots to inspect and repair faults in the city’s underground drainage system.
A demonstration of these machines was held near Hanuman Nagar on Friday, in the presence of Mayor Mangesh Pawar, Deputy Mayor Vani Vilas Joshi, and senior corporation officials.
Mayor Pawar expressed satisfaction with the demo and stated that a final decision on procurement would be made after consultations with officials and corporation members. Deputy Mayor Joshi added that the decision would be based on necessity and performance.
The robots, which have already been deployed in Sangli, Maharashtra, can enter underground pipelines to identify issues like blockages, leaks, and contamination through advanced sensors and cameras, providing real-time visuals.
“These machines can detect potential issues before any visible damage occurs,” said M.R. Patil, a representative from Solinas Integrity Systems.
The robots, developed by Swasth AI, an IIT Madras-incubated start-up, are marketed as Solinas Integrity Systems and Endobot Sewer Bots. They use machine learning to help municipal authorities identify sewer and water pipe leaks and monitor water pollution.
The machines are priced at ₹27 lakh, with the company offering one month of free training. Additionally, for ₹5.5 crore, they will manage operations and maintenance for three years under a service contract, according to the Mayor.
He emphasized that civic workers would not be replaced by the new technology.
