BBMP's dust-free road plan to cost Rs 764 crore

Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s civic body wants to hire 20 imported mechanical sweeping machines to keep the city’s major roads dust-free for the next seven years, a move that will cost the BBMP a whopping Rs 764 crore for the period. 

The proposed move by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) raised the hackles of activists who pointed out the lack of a pilot while also wondering whether pourakarmikas would be fired to accommodate the extra expenditure. But the BBMP defended the proposal, saying it was "economical". 

According to a proposal submitted to the Urban Development Department (UDD), the machines will receive payments based on the number of kilometres they sweep, at approximately Rs 1,000 per kilometre. This pricing model was determined by an architect from RITES Ltd, the consulting agency for the BBMP, sources said. 

In its budget for 2024-25, the BBMP had earmarked Rs 30 crore for the purchase of mechanical sweeping machines under the 'Brand Bengaluru' programme but it estimates the expenses to double in the next financial year. 

In the first two years, the civic body estimates an annual expense of about Rs 60 crore, which will go up by three times in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh year of operations. 

The civic body came up with a fresh proposal as the 26 sweeping machines, which are currently in use, were procured way back in 2017-18. These machines cost around Rs 1.8 crore each, with an operating cost of approximately Rs 6 lakh per month per machine. By contrast, the imported machines are estimated to cost the BBMP several times more than the ones manufactured in India. 

Critics are concerned that the financial burden on the BBMP could become unmanageable, especially considering the 17,000 municipal workers currently on its payroll for sweeping roads.

Some have questioned the need to import these machines in bulk without first conducting a pilot test to assess their effectiveness on Indian roads. The initiative also goes against the Centre's Make in India policy. 

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath termed the proposal “most economical”.

“The pricing was studied by two consulting firms RITES Ltd and Boston Consulting Group. Further reduction is not possible as we require mechanised machines to keep arterial and sub-arterial roads dust-free,” he said. 

V Ramaprasad, a civic volunteer, wondered whether the BBMP has the financial appetite to spend Rs 764 crore on imported machines on Bengaluru roads with dusty conditions. "Where is the pilot study?” he asked.

He also wanted to know if the number of municipal workers would be reduced to accommodate the additional expenditure. 

The pricing was studied by two consulting firms RITES Ltd and Boston Consulting Group. Further reduction is not possible as we require mechanised machines to keep arterial and sub-arterial roads dust-free

Tushar Girinath BBMP Chief Commissioner