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Mohali: Mechanical sweeping likely to resume in three months
During a meeting on Tuesday, the Mohali municipal corporation’s finance and contract committee (F&CC) gave nod to a ₹40-crore tender for self-propelled mechanical sweeping machines for cleaning A and B roads (main roads) for five years
Stalled since June 2021, mechanical sweeping of roads in Mohali is expected to resume in three months.
During a meeting on Tuesday, the Mohali municipal corporation’s finance and contract committee (F&CC) gave nod to a ₹40-crore tender for self-propelled mechanical sweeping machines for cleaning A and B roads (main roads) for five years.
A total of 43 development agendas worth ₹52.47 crore were cleared at the meeting.
Mohali mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu said, “The machines will be imported from Italy, which will prove to be a game changer for Mohali in terms of Swachh Survekshan. With these machines, Mohali will top the charts in cleanliness rankings.”
The previous contract for mechanical sweeping had expired on June 14, 2021. Ever since, roads are being cleaned manually, amid severe shortage of staff.
To resume the sweeping, last month, the chief engineer of the department of local government, Punjab, had approved the lowest bid by Global Waste Management Cell Private Limited, who quoted ₹41.54 crore against the government tender of ₹40.81 crore.
Having dropped to the 113th rank last year in Swachh Survekshan rankings, Mohali made a strong comeback this year by climbing 31 spots to secure the 82nd position among 446 cities with a population over 1 lakh.
Moreover, Mohali emerged as the cleanest city in Punjab among 16 cities with over 1 lakh population.
Even on the certifications front, it secured a one-star rating in the Garbage Free Cities (GFC) certification, compared to a zero score last year.
Other approved projects
Other than mechanical sweeping, F&CC approved works orders pertaining to flood lights in the park of Phase 11, maintenance of dump site in Phase 8B, Industrial Area, ensuring labour for electric cremation machine, new shallow tubewells, pumping machine in MC store for shelter homes and stray dogs, construction of dharamshala in Mataur, equipment for fire station, and repair of manholes and streets in Kumbra and Phase 11.
The meeting was attended by MC commissioner Navjot Kaur, joint commissioner Kiran Sharma and senior deputy mayor Amrik Singh Somal, besides councillors and senior MC officers.
