Waste collection in Gurugram may see disruption as payment delays mount
The private agency charged with waste collection recently appealed to the director of urban local bodies (ULB) in Haryana, seeking intervention
The district’s door-to-door waste collection service faces a severe crisis as Bimalraj Outsourcing Pvt. Ltd., the company responsible for waste collection, claims it hasn’t received payments from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) for months. Financial strain is now impacting the company’s ability to pay workers and maintain services, with mounting concerns that operations may soon halt, the firm reported.
According to Prakshit Singh, director of Bimalraj Outsourcing, despite continuous work, the lack of funds has left them in a precarious position. “We have been working without getting a single penny, making it difficult to pay salaries,” he said. Singh added that even after directives from the additional chief secretary TVSN Prasad for action, the issue remains unresolved. To be sure, the directive has not been implemented yet.
Adding to the complications, Singh highlighted operational issues, such as residents providing mixed waste instead of segregated waste, unauthorised vendors operating within MCG’s jurisdiction, and monopolistic practices by empaneled agencies disrupting collection efforts. “MCG did not let us work and provided no support to us. Instead, it supported the empanelled and unauthorised agencies. The illegal vendors and empanelled agencies hired to assist bulk waste generators cover a majority of the area for doorstep waste collection and my agency is left with slums and villages, where people don’t pay user charges. We also sent multiple letters to the MCG saying that we are unable to collect user charges. I am ready to pay the user charges to the MCG if the corporation collects these charges from the residents and pays us our share. We were not allowed to work in the MCG area,” said Parikshit Singh, director Bimalraj.
The company recently appealed to the director of urban local bodies (ULB) in Haryana, seeking intervention to address these challenges, Singh added.
Bimalraj Outsourcing’s letter to director ULB sent back in September as well as on Monday outlined various obstacles to efficient waste management, noting that the MCG work order differed significantly from the initial Request for Proposal (RFP), leading to an unexpected increase in workload. Singh added that the lack of infrastructure support from MCG, such as designated parking spaces and EV charging facilities, is causing hindrance in their effective service. “Attempts to secure these basic infrastructure requirements were reportedly ignored, and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have not allowed vehicles to park in community areas, further straining operations,” he added.
Yashpal Yadav, director, urban local bodies said that it is a challenge for any private agency to collect user charges and not easy. “There is only one solution and that is to give best services and do the door-to-door waste collection religiously. If people find their neighbourhood neat and clean they will not think twice before paying ₹50 or ₹100. We will ensure the issue is resolved,” he said.