Tenders for waste collection, processing to open today

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation’s plan to streamline garbage collection and processing in the city has been delayed once again as the tenders for dividing the city into two zones will now be opened on Monday. The tenders were originally scheduled to open on August 22 but were postponed after contractors sought additional time to complete their documents. At least three contractors had written to the MC via an e-mail, requesting an extension.

The fresh tenders were floated on July 31, after earlier attempts failed to attract bidders. Initially, the MC had issued separate tenders for 41 wards and 44 wards. The tender for 41 wards, scheduled to open on July 16, saw no participation, while the one for 44 wards, slated for July 18, was extended by 10 days but still received no bids when it opened on July 28. Eventually, both tenders were reissued together on July 31, but once again the process has been delayed.

The urgency of the situation has increased as the existing contractor, Averda Company, has formally notified that it will cease operations after October 20. To avoid a crisis in waste management, the MC has also floated an alternative tender under which tractor trolleys would be deployed in all constituencies to lift garbage. However, officials admitted that the plan may run into difficulties in narrow lanes where trolleys cannot reach, potentially stalling garbage collection in such areas.

Officials said that if at least three bidders do not participate in the current round, the corporation will issue a short-term tender for seven days. In such a case, the contract could even be awarded to a single bidder to ensure continuity of services.

Meanwhile, the outgoing Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, who was relieved from his duties on Friday, was given a warm farewell by the staff. Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh praised his role, stating that while nobody could challenge Averda despite its poor performance in garbage collection, it was Aulakh who compelled the company to withdraw. He also highlighted that the tender for bioremediation at the Bhagtanwala dumpyard was successfully executed under Aulakh’s leadership, marking a significant step towards resolving the city’s waste crisis.