MC to buy road sweeping machines

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 14

Upset over routine strikes by employees of private companies hired for sanitation, the MC has decided to buy its own road sweeping machines and equipment. In the first phase, the MC has bought two machines for the mechanical sweeping on the Heritage Street near Golden Temple. The mechanical sweeping company hired for the sweeping of 55-km roads, including Heritage Street, had suspended work last week and did not resume till date.

A petroleum company provided one of the machines from proposed eight machines under corporate social responsibility. The machines were procured at a price of Rs 1.9 crore. The company will provide maintenance services for three years.

Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu said the Municipal Corporation would buy truck-mounted road sweeping machines under the smart city project. He added the other equipment required for sanitation and cleanliness would also be purchased.

The MC has been planning to set up its own system of cleaning roads and sanitation instead of outsourcing the work to a private firm. As per the planning, the MC would only engage manpower through outsourcing. The objective is to make an alternate in case of protest by the workforce so that the cleaning work is not hampered.