MCD to use mechanical sweeping vehicles in markets; will spend Rs 65 cr
MCD to use mechanical sweeping vehicles in markets; will spend Rs 65 cr
Delhi is getting ready to sweep out its dirt in style. After successfully trying out mechanical sweeping vehicles on the Ring Road, neighbourhood markets and bylanes will now be cleaned by these sleek machines.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) plans to introduce mechanical sweeping and by May 2009 will acquire 50 sweeping machines. Out of these, 12 big machines will clean open areas while smaller machines will work in narrow lanes.
"Big machines will be used for roads wider than 100 metres, while smaller machines will mainly be used for market places and roads with smaller width," said Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, KS Mehra.u00a0
"Cleaning market places is a big problem. Sweepers do their job early in the morning. However, later, the shopkeepers open their shops and throw garbage around. These litter roads till evening as markets become too crowded to clean. Mechanical sweeping will be done twice a day. We hope it will help markets stay clean throughout the day," added Mehra.
The sweeping vehicles will be hired on five or seven years lease. A fund of Rs 65 crore has been earmarked for the purpose, said another MCD official, wishing anonymity.u00a0
Mehra said, "We will review its performance. If we are satisfied, these machines may be deployed all over the city." Delhi has a total of 50,000 sweepers. However, the MCD said they would not be rendered jobless. "They will be absorbed in other areas where there is a huge shortage of staff," said the official.
| Clean it |
Mechanical sweeping is done by using four-wheeled and three-wheeled sweepers and vacuum trucks. These vehicles are widely used in America and Europe.
In Delhi, the PWD used these successfully on the Ring Road. Mechanical sweepers are used at the Delhi airport and the Parliament House building. They are used in Ahmedabad as well. |
