NMC Spends Rs 3.28 Crore on Hired Road Sweeping Machine in 2.5 Years Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) mechanised road-cleaning operations have come under scrutiny after an RTI query revealed that the civic body spent over Rs 3.28 crore on hiring a single road-sweeping machine in less than two-and-a-half years. This equates to a monthly expenditure of approximately Rs 11.28 lakh. According to information obtained by activist Abhay Kolarakar, the Solid Waste Management Department has hired eight mechanised road-sweeping machines for cleaning city roads and reducing dust pollution. One of these machines was rented from a private firm and operated from August 1, 2023, until December 2025, during which the NMC paid Rs 3.28 crore in rental charges. The RTI response further indicates that details regarding ownership, procurement costs, and maintenance expenditure of the remaining seven machines were not specified. While the department has acknowledged the benefits of mechanised cleaning, including improved cleanliness standards, removal of fine dust particles, and mitigation of air pollution, the financial implications of its current strategy remain under scrutiny. The annual cost for a single machine exceeds Rs 1.35 crore, raising questions about whether renting is more cost-effective than purchasing additional units. However, the source does not provide data on procurement costs or maintenance expenses for the other machines. The revelations have sparked discussions about the NMC's reliance on rented equipment. Critics argue that the significant outlay for a single machine could have been better allocated to acquiring more units, potentially improving efficiency and reducing long-term costs.#nagpur_municipal_corporation #solid_waste_management_department #abhay_kolarakar #road_sweeping_machine #rti
Strike Called Off, Garbage Woes Persist In Many Areas The sanitation workers' strike that disrupted door-to-door garbage collection across large parts of Nagpur for three days ended on Sunday. However, residents in several areas continued to grapple with uncollected waste, with garbage remaining uncleared for a fourth consecutive day in many localities. Confirming the development, Rajesh Bhagat, deputy commissioner of the Solid Waste Management Department, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), stated that the contractual employees of Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited, responsible for door-to-door waste collection in NMC Zones 1 to 5, had called off their strike and resumed services from Sunday. A representative of the sanitation workers' union confirmed the strike was withdrawn after the company agreed to address the employees' demands, following which workers returned to duty. The strike had brought waste collection and transportation to a halt, resulting in garbage piling up outside homes, housing societies, commercial establishments, and along roadsides. This created unsanitary conditions across the affected areas and undermined the NMC's ongoing cleanliness fortnight campaign, which aimed to improve sanitation standards. Instead, mounting garbage heaps and public resentment dominated the civic landscape. Although collection services resumed, the effects of the strike remained evident in several neighborhoods. Residents reported that garbage vehicles had yet to reach their areas, leaving waste accumulated since Thursday. Intermittent rainfall further worsened the situation, soaking the garbage and triggering foul odors.#nagpur #nagpur_municipal_corporation #rajesh_bhagat #antony_waste_handling_cell_limited #solid_waste_management_department
