₹12-crore bids for machines to wash dividers scrapped

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) scrapped bids of ₹12 crore to buy machines for washing dividers in the city for eight years, citing reasons like excess

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) scrapped bids of ₹12 crore to buy machines for washing dividers in the city for eight years, citing reasons like excess use of water and apprehensions that paint of the dividers will come off.

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The BMC in September, 2019, had floated bids to procure the machines with an aim to improve its ranking in the upcoming Swachh Bharat Survekshan Abhiyan, for which a Central government team from Delhi is expected to visit in the next 10 days.

As per a tender floated by BMC, it had to raise ₹12.66 crore to buy the machines for a period of eight years.

However, the move was opposed by corporators and activists, stating that it will not only incur huge costs but will also utilise a lot of water.

“We have cancelled the bids for washing dividers with machines worth ₹12 crore. The reasons include excess usage of water and apprehensions of paint of the divider coming off that would require repainting, “ said deputy municipal commissioner (Solid Waste Management), BMC, Ashok Khaire.

The BMC also cancelled bids for buying sweeping machines.

A BMC official said, “The bids for sweeping machines is cancelled considering certain conditions are to be changed but it will be re-floated after. However, the bids for washing dividers has been cancelled for once and all.”