The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has earned the ignominy in the past for clearing bills for works not executed, for paying garbage contractors despite there being fewer vehicles on ground, etc. This is despite its large spend on civic works and solid waste management in the city.
To put an end to this, the civic body, from December 1, will clear collection and transportation bills of garbage contractors only based on radio-frequency identification and GPS data.
When the civic body proposed installation of GPS trackers and RFID chips on all vehicles engaged in door-to-door collection and transportation of municipal solid waste, there was much resistance from the garbage contractors. Consequently, several deadlines have been missed.
Now, the civic body has decided to clear the collection and transportation bills of the contractors only based on RFID and GPS data, and integration of the same with the BBMP’s central vehicle tracking portal.
As per the new deadline set by civic chief N. Manjunath Prasad, the RFID chips have to be installed on all primary and secondary collection and transportation vehicles, apart from GPS trackers on all operational vehicles in wards with new tenders, by the end of this month. In wards where the new tenders are still not in place, garbage vehicles will have till December to install the trackers.
Mr. Prasad has directed assistant executive engineers and superintending engineers to ensure the new deadlines are adhered to, while making it clear that no further extension would be permitted.
BBMP’s Special Commissioner D. Randeep said, “In cases where the RFID attendance is not available, junior health inspectors should take geo-stamped photos, or ward marshals can record the attendance manually,” he said.
Status of garbage tenders
Tenders have been cleared and work orders have been issued for 79 of the 198 wards in the city. Work has already been taken up by the new contractors in 38 wards while demonstration has been completed in 12 wards. In the remaining 29 wards, demonstration has not been completed by the contractors who have been given work orders. “We will issue notices to them. If they don’t respond to the notices, the work order will be cancelled and the contractor will be blacklisted,” Mr. Randeep said.
