Start mechanical sweeping without delay: Mohali deputy mayor to MC chief

Deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi, in a written request to MC commissioner Navjot Kaur, said despite being passed by the F&CC on January 23, the civic body has failed to allot the work tender to the lowest bidder

Two weeks after the municipal corporation’s (MC) finance and contract committee (F&CC) gave the nod to a ₹40-crore tender for self-propelled mechanical sweeping machines for cleaning A and B roads (main roads) for five years in Mohali, deputy mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi on Monday asked MC commissioner Navjot Kaur to commence the sweeping without further delay.

Mohali’s deputy mayor said the rates received from Global Waste Management Cell Company were around ₹24 crore (59%), which was the lowest bid. (HT File)

Bedi, in a written request to Kaur, said despite being passed by the F&CC on January 23, the civic body has failed to allot the work tender to the lowest bidder.

In his letter, Bedi mentioned the poor state of cleanliness in the city for almost the past two years. He said although the MC has received the top spot in the Punjab province in the Swachh Survey 2023, it is receiving continuous complaints regarding cleanliness in the city.

The deputy mayor added that the rates received from Global Waste Management Cell Company were around ₹24 crore (59%), which was the lowest bid.

“Now if the said company refuses to work due to delay in allotment of work tender, it will result in financial loss to the MC and its image will also be damaged. The condition of sanitation in Mohali will further deteriorate. Therefore, the work related to mechanical sweeping should be allotted to the said company as soon as possible,” Bedi added.

Meanwhile, Kaur ridiculed any delay and said the process was being followed strictly as per the decision taken in the F&CC meeting, and issuance of any such letter by the deputy mayor, when the process is going on as per the orders of the mayor, is arbitrary and malicious.

“Proceedings of the F&CC meeting held on January 23 clearly said that the senior officials of the company should be called for rate negotiation. In compliance with the same, the company has been called for a meeting on February 13 to finalise further details regarding the implementation of mechanical sweeping in the city. The matter is under process as per the decision taken by the mayor in the meeting,” Kaur said.

She added that Bedi himself is a member of the committee. “It is surprising that the deputy mayor is not aware of the decisions taken in the meeting by the F&CC,” said Kaur.