'Math is not mathing': Bengaluru questions massive bill for rented road sweepers

Bengaluru residents are questioning the state's decision to rent 46 road-sweeping machines for ₹613 crore over seven years.

Bengaluru residents are erupting in disbelief after the state Cabinet approved the rental of 46 mechanical sweeping machines for a whopping ₹613.25 crore over seven years.

Despite the uproar, the Cabinet has approved the proposal submitted by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). (Representational Image)

What stunned citizens most was the math, which many say simply “does not math.”

The outrage was sparked after RWAs and citzens began breaking down the numbers online.

“The math is not mathing,” Whitefield Rising posted, questioning how renting 46 machines at roughly ₹2 crore per machine per year adds up to over ₹613 crore. They also raised concerns about whether these machines, like the city’s existing fleet of 26, would end up lying unused due to operational delays and unpaid contractors.

Another resident asked bluntly, “Why is the Greater Bengaluru Authority spending ₹2 crore per year to rent a road-sweeping machine? Machines like this cost around ₹60–70 lakh to buy. Why not purchase outright and save public money?”

Several users tagged AI assistants seeking clarity. One viral post to @grok said, “If one machine costs 1–3 crore to buy, why is Bengaluru renting them at 13 crore per machine over seven years? This entire procurement should be under 150 crore.”

The message concluded with a sardonic line, “The saved money could be put in FD and the interest would cover maintenance for years.”

Despite the uproar, the Cabinet has approved the proposal submitted by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). According to Law Minister HK Patil, the machines will be funded by the five newly formed municipal corporations, with distribution across all zones, Deccan Herald reported.

The original proposal had sought 59 machines for ₹781 crore, but the Urban Development Department trimmed the number to 46 while marginally increasing the per-vehicle cost. Technical committees had earlier recommended outright purchase, but the government opted for rental, citing high initial expenditure.

Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.