While fitting GPS trackers on all garbage collection vehicles, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has discovered that 10% of the vehicles on record are either ‘missing’ or are unfit. The civic body has on record over 4,200 auto-tippers and around 550 compactors.
BBMP’s Special Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) D. Randeep told The Hindu that vehicles ‘missing’ meant that they didn’t come to the designated spot in the division for fitting of the GPS trackers. “We also found some vehicles did not have the self-start mechanism or had malfunctioning batteries, which meant that the GPS would not function. We have asked the contractors to change such vehicles,” he said.
He added that the number of vehicles on the field compared to those on record may actually drop once the process is complete. “The trackers are being fitted only after verification of the registration number and fitness of the vehicle is certified by the zonal office,” he added.
This is not the first time that garbage vehicles have gone ‘missing’. Last year, when the BBMP attempted to digitise its records and installed RFID chips on vehicles, several vehicles remained ‘absent’. It was alleged that this was a scam amounting to around ₹250 crore, as the civic body had been paying bills for the ‘missing’ vehicles for two years.
“Once the GPS trackers are fitted, we will have a concrete record of vehicles on the field. We will also be able to track their movement,” Mr. Randeep said.
The fitting of GPS trackers was taken up recently and is expected to be completed by the second week of July. So far, GPS trackers have been fitted on over 355 vehicles. “The fitting of GPS trackers on all vehicles was to be completed by June-end. We are trying to expedite it and have directed the vendor to deploy additional teams,” he added.