The Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is planning to call a tender to purchase 34 mechanical sweeping machines.
BBMP already has nine sweeping machines which have been put to use since May. According to BBMP officials, since one vehicle can do the job of 100 pourakarmikas, the BBMP direly needs the vehicle to clean 1,180 arterial and sub-arterial roads of the city.
Sarfaraz Khan, the BBMP joint commissioner for health and solid waste management, told DH, ”The machines have been functioning smoothly in the eight zones of the city. They are equipped with GPS navigation systems to make the mapping of the city easier for the operators. The machines are monitored through a video facility, based on which we pay the contractors. Since the machines have been functioning satisfactorily, we are planning to call a new tender for 34 more vehicles.”
“The roads in the city are often covered in mud, causing a lot of inconvenience to commuters. Ongoing road repairs and other works add to the existing dust and pollution. The mechanical sweepers will help improve the condition of such roads and prevent dust and pollution. Even pourakarmikas, who used to be affected by dust, are now less at risk after the machines were introduced,” he added.
