Gurgaon: MCG has awarded the work of operating and maintaining the city’s road-sweeping machines to a Dwarka-based private agency for six months after the previous contract ended on March 31.The project is estimated to cost Rs 5 crore. The agency was previously awarded the contract in Sept 2019 for five years until March 31, 2025, and was later given a one-year extension.Officials said the new agency, which has already started work, will operate and maintain 20 mechanical road-sweeping machines equipped with wet and dry cleaning systems across the city. As per the agreement, the agency will clean roads, service lanes, back lanes and other public places and each machine must cover at least 30km of road and operate for 12 hours a day at a speed of 3-4km per hour.“This is a short-term arrangement for six months. We are also preparing to float tenders for manual and mechanized sweeping as per the revised RFP issued by the urban local bodies (ULB) department. Before this contract ends, we will hire another agency for five years,” said Sunder Sheoran, executive engineer at MCG.The agency is also required to deploy one driver and one helper for each machine, along with supervisory staff, and ensure that workers are provided uniforms, safety gear and statutory benefits such as EPF and ESI.Under the agreement, the agency will also be responsible for complete operation and maintenance of the machines, including repairs, preventive maintenance and replacement of components such as brushes, hoses, filters, belts, bearings and hydraulic oil. Fuel will be provided by MCG. The agency will also handle disposal of collected silt at designated locations identified by the civic body.According to civic officials, against a requirement of 42 machines, only 20 are available. MCG has proposed purchasing 20 large and four medium mechanized sweepers, citing available funds. In its annual action plan submitted to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav in Dec last year, the corporation reiterated the need for additional machines.
