Bengaluru, Oct 28 The GBA is introducing a new waste management system across Bengaluru, with its 27 Assembly constituencies divided into 33 tender packages to improve the efficiency and scientific management of waste collection and disposal, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference at the Greater Bengaluru Authority office, Gowda said the government and the civic administration had initiated major reforms to modernise the city’s waste management and sanitation systems, focusing on improved infrastructure, technology-driven monitoring and greater accountability.
“Work orders have already been issued for five packages covering five Assembly constituencies, with operations expected to begin in November,” the Bengaluru Development Minister said.
According to a statement from the minister’s office, contractors under the revised tender conditions will be required to invest approximately Rs 10 crore in setting up and operating each package.
The contractors had sought 1.5 to two months to mobilise resources and establish the necessary operational systems, and the request had been accepted.
Of the 33 packages, five have been approved, with operations scheduled to begin in November, the statement said.
Letters of acceptance have been issued for three more packages, while the tender process for 10 packages has been completed and the proposals submitted to the government for administrative approval, Gowda said.
Work orders for these 10 packages will be issued within 10 to 15 days of receiving government approval, he said.
Another 10 packages are at the bidding stage. Bids for one package are scheduled to be opened on October 30, and for another on November 1, he said.
The remaining three packages are before the courts, and the tendering process will begin once judicial clearance is received, he said.
Emphasising the need to modernise the city’s waste collection infrastructure, Gowda said many vehicles currently in use were more than 15 years old and frequently required repairs, affecting operational efficiency.
The government had therefore decided to introduce a new fleet of well-equipped vehicles. GPS tracking would be mandatory in every vehicle to monitor movement along designated routes and ensure adherence to collection schedules, he said.
Regular door-to-door collection would also help discourage residents from dumping waste along roadsides and in public spaces, he added.
As part of the fleet overhaul, the number of small, 500-kg auto-tippers would be gradually reduced, with greater reliance on four-wheeled vehicles capable of carrying three to five tonnes of waste, the minister said.
Three-wheeled vehicles would continue to be used on narrow roads and in lanes inaccessible to larger vehicles. The changes were expected to increase the city’s daily waste collection capacity from the current 5,200 tonnes to 9,000 tonnes, he said.
Gowda said GPS-based vehicle tracking and a face-recognition attendance system would also be made mandatory to improve the monitoring of sanitation personnel and vehicles and bring greater transparency and accuracy to daily operations.
He appealed to residents to cooperate with the door-to-door collection system and avoid dumping garbage on roadsides or in public spaces.
Households could keep their waste in buckets hung at gates, on compound walls or at other accessible points. Collection staff would pick up the waste and return the buckets to their original positions, he suggested.
Responding to allegations surrounding the new tender process, Gowda said the city’s waste management system currently costs approximately Rs 597 crore annually. With the introduction of new vehicles and advanced technology, the annual cost under the new system was estimated at around Rs 620 crore.
He said eligible contractors who had quoted rates 5 to 6 per cent below the estimated tender value had been awarded packages through a transparent process in accordance with the prescribed conditions.
“Some of those who did not secure contracts are making baseless allegations out of disappointment or dissatisfaction. There is no substance to these allegations. Our sole objective is to ensure that waste management across Bengaluru is carried out efficiently, scientifically and without disruption,” the minister added.
(PTI News)
