Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The BBMP has abandoned its plan to acquire 75 mechanical sweepers after facing numerous challenges in the procurement process as well as difficulties in managing the current machinery.
The sum of Rs 80 crore — earmarked for the procurement in the 15th Finance Commission programme of 2021, 2022, and 2023 — has been redistributed to other projects such as developing junctions and improving pedestrian access to metro stations.
The idea behind obtaining additional sweeping machines, alongside the current fleet of 20 units, was to maintain dust-free conditions on the primary roads in both core and outer areas.
Despite the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's attempts to acquire these machines, the initiative faced challenges arising from disputes among manufacturers and internal disagreements concerning the choice of equipment.
In all, the state government has undertaken 32 new works under the central government’s 15th Finance Commission grants by abandoning works worth Rs 307 crore, which were part of different action plans approved in the last three years.
Authorities have indicated that projects, including the plan to procure mechanical sweepers, are dropped since there is lack of progress in utilising the funds in a timely manner.
The state-level monitoring and implementation committee headed by Rakesh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary for Urban Development Department, approved the new works in a meeting in November.
What KSPCB got
Out of the Rs 307 crore, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) received Rs 51 crore for various pollution-reducing measures in the city. The board spent the money on procuring emission monitoring devices for Rs 19.75 crore, greening industrial areas for Rs 5 crore, and procuring patrolling vehicles for Rs 2.40 crore, among other things. The pollution controlling body also plans to set up a command-and-control centre at Rs 6.81 crore.
BMTC's share
Although the BBMP received the lion’s share of the funds, the BMTC received Rs 10 crore to buy five double-decker buses and Rs 30 crore for acquiring electric buses.
For DULT
The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), on the other hand, has received a mere Rs 5 crore to improve cycling infrastructure.
The BBMP has undertaken works, including improvement of footpaths to several metro stations (Rs 65 crore); improving parks in BTM Layout, Gandhi Nagar (Freedom Park) and Sarvagnanagar (Rajkumar Park); installing waste transfer stations (Rs 12.5 crore); and procuring smaller sweeping machines (Rs 7.5 crore).
Approving the revised action plan, the UDD has instructed the BBMP to execute the works only through a competitive tendering process.