Bengaluru: The city’s ambitious plan to revamp door-to-door garbage collection has hit a major roadblock, with contractors in only 5 of 21 govt-approved waste collection packages accepting work orders, forcing Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) to recall 10 tenders and potentially delaying implementation by another three to six months.
“Only after they agreed for 14% premium did we proceed with securing all approvals. Now, they are saying 14% is not enough,” a senior BSWML official said. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru Stay updated with the latest Bengaluru news.
Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said govt will proceed with fresh tenders if contractors are unwilling to take up the work. We have no other option but to call for fresh tenders and bring in new agencies to provide services,” he said. “We can’t help it if they want to back out after the entire procedure is completed and govt approval has been obtained. BOX Esma invoked fearing disruption Karnataka govt invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act (Esma) for waste management services across the city for one year amid a standoff between garbage collection contractors and civic authorities. Under the notification, employees and workers engaged in door-to-door waste collection, transportation and allied sanitation services are prohibited from going on strike, with govt citing concerns over public health and sanitation. The move comes after contractors threatened to suspend operations over issues including revised wage implementation, diesel cost reimbursements and delays in bill payments. Contractors argued that rising operational expenses and statutory liabilities have made existing contracts financially unviable. Officials fear any largescale disruption could lead to garbage accumulation across the city, particularly during post-festival period. Download the TOI App.
Contractors initially sought 25% premium over the estimated contract value before eventually agreeing to 14% premium proposed by the agency, based on which govt and cabinet approvals were secured, according to BSWML officials. However, several contractors later declined to proceed and cited a higher premium.
BSWML had proposed a citywide restructuring of door-to-door waste collection system by dividing the work into 33 packages covering all 28 assembly constituencies. the rollout has now run into fresh hurdles While the cabinet approved 21 of 33 packages. Of the 21 approved packages, work orders have been accepted only in Govindarajanagar, Mahalakshmi Layout, Chickpet, Chamarajpet and Vijayanagar constituencies. With fresh tenders now required for 10 packages, officials estimate that implementation of the revamped collection system could be pushed back by another three to six months.
Nearly six months after the cabinet approved 21 waste-collection packages aimed at strengthening door-to-door garbage collection system, a majority of the contracts remain stuck due to a standoff between authorities and contractors.
Of the five work orders being issued, according to BSWML, Vijayanagar will be the first assembly constituency to have the new garbage system, expected to kickstart in a month’s time. The plan envisages replacing the existing auto-tipper model with a GPS-based collection system under which vehicle movement and route coverage will be digitally monitored. Sources indicated that part of the resistance stems from disqualification of certain firms and their co-working partners during the tender process, which triggered dissatisfaction among some contractors. Officials believe the reluctance to join the new system may also be linked to stricter monitoring mechanisms built into the contracts. Under the proposed model, all collection vehicles will be GPS-tracked, routes digitally monitored and payments linked to completion of assigned routes. Daily billing will be processed only after service delivery is verified through the online system. The setback comes at a time when Bengaluru is grappling with inadequate waste collection infrastructure amid rapid population growth. The delayed rollout is expected to impact plans to augment the city’s door-to-door waste collection network and improve accountability in garbage-collection services.