The municipal corporation has planned to issue a fresh tender for the operation and maintenance of its 522 door-to-door garbage collection vehicles at an estimated cost of ₹37.69 crore. The agenda will come up for discussion in the upcoming MC House meeting on September 22. The corporation had earlier floated a ₹32.75-crore tender three times, but failed to award the contract due to cost and other factors.
The new contract will cover the operation of the vehicles, manpower, fuel, maintenance, repairs, and other related expenses. Earlier, in the 356th meeting of the House, the proposal was approved for the operation and maintenance of 522 vehicles, costing approximately ₹32.75 crore annually. A tender was subsequently floated three times through the GeM portal, but the process failed.
A committee was later formed to review the earlier tender terms, vehicle requirements, operational difficulties and prevailing market conditions. Subsequently, the scope of work, terms and conditions and estimated cost were revised.
The revised estimate takes into account rising fuel and operational costs, as well as increased maintenance requirements of ageing vehicles. The MC hopes the changes will attract more agencies to the tender process.
According to the MC, the vehicles used for door-to-door garbage collection are around five to six years old. Their breakdowns and repair requirements have consequently increased, with many needing replacement of worn-out parts and regular maintenance.
Another challenge before the corporation is payment to authorised service dealers. Without timely payment arrangements at the agency level, vehicles sent for repairs could remain off-road for extended periods, disrupting door-to-door garbage collection. Therefore, the new contract will include a system for payment along with repair and maintenance, ensuring maximum vehicle availability.
Aneesha Sareen is a Special Correspondent at the Hindustan Times head office in Chandigarh. A reporter with two decades of experience, Aneesha has her eyes and ears firmly on the ground. She has extensively covered crime, courts, administration, politics, the Municipal Corporation and industry across Chandigarh and Punjab. During her stint as HT bureau head in Ludhiana from 2016 to 2023, she led a team of young journalists reporting across the length and breadth of the industrial city and its surrounding areas. She has also worked with the Indian Express and The Tribune in the past. Currently, she covers politics and Administration in Chandigarh. When not chasing stories, Aneesha enjoys travelling and exploring new cuisines.Read More