250 vehicles to join PMC fleet in a month to tackle chronic garbage spots

The additional vehicles will strengthen the civic body’s last-mile collection network and target locations where garbage routinely piles up

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will add 250 small garbage-collection vehicles to its fleet within a month to tackle chronic waste accumulation spots across the city, additional municipal commissioner Prajit Nair said on Tuesday.

PMC additional commissioner Prajit Nair (right) and deputy commissioner Santosh Warule inspect garbage lifting work. (HT)

The additional vehicles will strengthen the civic body’s last-mile collection network and target locations where garbage routinely piles up. Nair said the move, along with increased waste-processing capacity, is expected to substantially address Pune’s garbage-management problems by October-November.

“Some chronic spots have been identified by the solid waste management department. The additional small vehicles will help us specifically tackle garbage accumulation at these locations,” Nair said.

Pune generates around 2,800 tonnes of waste daily—1,700 tonnes of dry waste and 1,100 tonnes of wet waste. PMC currently has around 90 large garbage vehicles, 800 small vehicles and 235 compactors.

Each vehicle makes around five trips a day, putting pressure on the existing fleet. “Making five trips per vehicle is a tough task. Once the new vehicles join the fleet, the garbage-lifting problem will be addressed to a large extent,” Nair said.

Nair and deputy municipal commissioner Santosh Warule on Tuesday inspected garbage collection and cleanliness arrangements along routes in Manjari, Shewalwadi, Mohammadwadi, Undri and Kondhwa.

The officials reviewed road cleaning, sanitation work and waste transportation during the inspection.

PMC has identified several locations where garbage repeatedly accumulates despite regular collection. The new vehicles will be deployed at these spots.