New Delhi: MCD’s Standing Committee has approved an approximately ₹923.57-crore plan to deploy 70 mechanical road-sweeping machines and operate and maintain them for ten years, making road dust a central target of its latest civic proposals.
The committee, chaired by Satya Sharma, also cleared a tender proposal for barrier-free toll collection at 126 entry points to Delhi and directed that recruitment begin for 1,066 vacant posts in the public-health department. The decisions were announced after its October 30 meeting.
Ten-year road-cleaning contracts
The sweeping project aims to reduce dust deposited on roads and particles thrown up by moving vehicles. Smaller-capacity machines will be electric; larger machines may use electricity or CNG, according to MCD.
The work has been divided into three packages. Lion Services Limited has been approved for a ₹369.53-crore package covering 29 machines. A consortium of GA Infra Private Limited and VN Engineering Company has been approved for 28 machines at ₹368.83 crore, while JS Enviro Services Private Limited has been approved for 13 machines at ₹185.20 crore.
The agencies will be responsible for deployment as well as operation and maintenance for ten years.
Barrier-free toll tender at 126 points
The committee approved the introduction of Multi-Lane Free Flow technology by upgrading the existing RFID system at 126 road-tax collection points. The proposed system would identify moving commercial vehicles through RFID and Automatic Number Plate Recognition, allowing road tax and Environmental Compensation Charge to be collected without vehicles stopping at barriers.
Collection through the existing RFID system will continue during the transition. The proposal also provides for digital notices after vehicles passing without payment are identified.
A high-level committee recommended an annual minimum reserve price of ₹910 crore for road-tax collection. MCD specified that this is the tender’s base amount, rather than assured income for the corporation. ECC would be collected on the basis of actual receipts.
The Standing Committee approved all three sections of the request for proposal and authorised the tender’s issue. MCD said the tender documents had been reviewed in light of Supreme Court directions concerning a barrier-free system.
Recruitment process for 1,066 vacancies
The public-health vacancies comprise 14 anti-malaria officers, 105 malaria inspectors, 398 assistant malaria inspectors and 549 multi-tasking staff posts. Sharma directed officials to begin filling the posts immediately and to initiate contractual recruitment promptly if regular appointments would take time.
She said staff shortages could affect mosquito-borne disease prevention, field inspections and surveillance.
Zonal deputy commissioners were also told to conduct surprise office inspections and monitor attendance and working practices. Sharma asked that residents’ and councillors’ grievances be resolved within a time-bound process at zonal level, reducing the need for repeated visits to MCD headquarters.
Other directions included developing at least one park in every ward with rainwater-harvesting facilities and regularly reviewing action on proposals and issues raised at the meeting. Councillors from both the ruling side and the opposition raised concerns about sanitation, road repairs, staff shortages, park maintenance and civic amenities.
