Nearly seven months after floating a tender for a service-based waste-management system covering outsourced cleaning and transportation across 21 administrative wards, the BMC has received four bids for the Rs. 4,000-crore contract. However, all bids are 32–34% higher than the civic body’s estimated cost, raising fresh concerns over project feasibility and budget escalation.
Tender Details and Likely Re-Tender
The financial bids were opened on Tuesday. Participating companies include AG Enviro, Prime, Metro Waste Management, and Delhi Waste Management. The tender is divided into eight groups. According to the civic circular, contracts over Rs. 250 crore exceeding the estimate by more than 10% cannot be negotiated and require re-tendering. Officials indicated a re-tender is likely due to unexpectedly high bids.
Service-Based Model Features
Under the new service-based model, a single agency will manage both waste collection and transportation using high-capacity, colour-coded vehicles 10–15% of which will be electric. The agency will also handle maintenance, movement, and management of waste bins, aiming for a more streamlined and efficient system.
Labour Concerns Addressed
The BMC labour union protested, citing fears of job losses. After assurances that existing jobs would be protected, the contract proceeded to the bidding stage.
Mumbai’s Current Waste Management Scenario
Mumbai generates approximately 6,900 metric tonnes of waste daily, managed using around 1,334 vehicles. While the BMC owns some vehicles, most are supplied by private contractors. Currently, the BMC operates on a hiring-based contract model for vehicles, while waste collection and processing are handled directly. Only wards L (Kurla), M East (Govandi), and M West (Chembur) rely primarily on municipal vehicles due to proximity to the Kanjur Marg and Deonar dumping grounds.
