Pune: Mechanical Road Sweeping Stalled for Six Months, Leading to Uncleanliness on Pune’s Major Roads

Pune:

For the past six months, the mechanical sweeping of major roads across Pune city, except in the Hadapsar and Wanwadi zones, has been halted, resulting in a significant accumulation of dust and filth. This disruption is attributed to delays in the tender process by the Solid Waste Department, poor guidance from consultants during tender execution, and inflated tender rates, which rose by 35 percent. As a result, the roads are now lined with garbage and dirt, exposing the apathy of the administration, which had previously put in special efforts during a cleanliness survey.

For several years, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has employed contractors to clean major city roads using mechanical sweepers. This system had been operational in all five zones under the PMC’s jurisdiction. However, contracts in four of these zones expired in February. The administration had been expected to initiate a fresh tender process before the contracts ended, but delays, compounded by the code of conduct imposed during the Lok Sabha elections, brought road cleaning efforts in these zones to a standstill.

In an attempt to resume the work, the administration conducted the tender process with assistance from a consultant. The process initially relied on outdated rates and added requirements such as regular cleaning of road dividers and footpaths using jetting machines. In this tender process, only one bid was received initially, prompting the authorities to extend the deadline.

Following the extension, some more companies submitted bids, but their proposals included a cost increase of 35 to 40 percent. Interestingly, companies with previous experience in mechanical sweeping did not participate, citing the unaffordable rates.

When contacted, Sandeep Kadam, the head of the solid waste department, said, “Since the tenders for mechanical sweeping came at an inflated price, we have recommended re-tendering to the municipal commissioner. Further decision on it will be taken after the commissioner’s order. For now, regional offices have been instructed to clean the roads within their jurisdictions, and contractors’ vehicles from the Hadapsar-Wanwadi zone are being used to assist in other areas.”

Neglected G20 Street Furniture Deteriorates

In addition to the unclean roads, street furniture installed for the G20 meeting in Pune last year has fallen into disrepair. The decorations, implemented through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, have since been neglected by the municipal administration. While regional offices are equipped with manpower for internal cleaning tasks, they lack the necessary staff and equipment to maintain the major roads, leading to visible piles of garbage and dirt on several streets and bridges.