₹613-crore road cleaning project: GBA prepares tender for 46 sweepers

Greater Bengaluru Authority decides to float tenders to hire mechanical sweeping machines for five city corporations, with a long-term rental plan aimed at improving road cleanliness.

In a major step to address rising dust pollution and poor road cleanliness, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has decided to hire 46 mechanical road sweeping machines on a rental basis. The authority will soon invite tenders for the project after obtaining necessary government approvals.

The rental period for the sweeping machines has been extended from the earlier plan of seven years to ten years, making it a long-term urban sanitation initiative. The estimated cost of the project is between ₹610 crore and ₹613 crore over the ten-year period.

The decision comes at a time when no mechanical sweeping machines are currently operational in the city. With the previous sweeping contract ending in early 2025, city roads have seen increased accumulation of dust, dry leaves, and garbage, leading to a noticeable rise in air pollution levels.

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A detailed feasibility study on the deployment of mechanical sweepers was conducted by RITES Limited. Based on this study, commissioners of the five city corporations reviewed the findings and decided to move forward with the tender process after seeking government clearance.

As per the plan, the 46 machines will be distributed across five zones:

•    East Zone: 11 machines, estimated cost ₹146.6 crore
•    West Zone: 10 machines, estimated cost ₹133.3 crore
•    North Zone: 10 machines, estimated cost ₹133.3 crore
•    Central Zone: 7 machines, estimated cost ₹93.3 crore
•    South Zone: 8 machines, estimated cost ₹106.6 crore

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Each new mechanical sweeper will have the capacity to clean up to 10 kilometres of roads in a single shift, significantly improving daily road maintenance. To ensure accountability and monitoring, GPS systems and cameras will be mandatory on all machines.