A street sweeping machine has arrived here and is likely to go on trial run from Tuesday amid questions on its efficacy.
Sources in the corporation told The Hindu that the machine, delivered to the civic body on February 23, could not be trialled as model code of conduct had kicked in with the announcement of elections to the urban local bodies. The corporation, sources said, has decided try the machine after polls results are declared on Monday.
Sources said the machine, priced at Rs. 57.48 lakh, would be procured only after a third party inspection and certification by experts nominated by the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) under the Department of Urban Development. The third party, Inspectorate Griffith, Bangalore, would inspect it on Tuesday.
Sources said that once the machine is certified, the supplier would be asked to sweep the streets for a fortnight or a month on a trial basis.
Sources said that under the three-package solid waste management scheme of the civic body approved by the government late last year, it was mandatory for the contractor to introduce mechanised street sweeping to some extent in north and south zones of the city. The contractor would have to machine sweep at least 25 km of roads.
Some councillors in a recent meeting said the MCC should review its proposal to buy the machine as it would not be of much use. The council, however, resolved to go ahead with the procurement.
G. Hanumantha Kamath, president, Nagariaka Hitarakshana Samiti, told The Hindu that the machine, would be a “white elephant”. He said the machine could not be used during the day due to traffic. No contractor would agree to pay the additional salary to its driver if used in the night. There are question marks on the machine’s efficacy during the monsoon season, he said.
