Pune: A proposed tender by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the daily cleaning and maintenance of public and community toilets across the city has come under scrutiny, with former PMC opposition leader Ujwal Keskar alleging irregularities in the tendering process and questioning the basis for fixing the minimum rate at Rs 85 per toilet seat per day.
While speaking to The Free Press Journal, Keskar said that along with him, former opposition leader Suhas Kulkarni and former corporator Prashant Badhe submitted a representation to PMC Commissioner Nawal Kishore Ram on September 22, seeking an immediate inquiry and stay on the tender process.
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The representation raises questions over the financial implications of the proposal, the tender conditions and the proposed deployment of private contractors for toilet maintenance.
According to PMC documents accompanying the representation, the civic body has identified 1,204 public and community toilets with a total of 15,107 seats across its 15 regional offices. The proposed work involves cleaning the toilets in three shifts every day, along with minor repairs and maintenance.
At the approved rate of Rs 85 per seat per day, the daily expenditure for 15,107 seats works out to around Rs 12.84 lakh, or approximately Rs 46.87 crore annually. For a two-year tender period, the expenditure at the approved rate would be around Rs 93.74 crore, bringing the overall proposal close to the Rs 100-crore mark.
Keskar questioned the basis of the rate, said, “The question is how the rate of Rs 85 per seat per day was arrived at.”
Minimum rate condition questioned
One of the main objections raised by Keskar concerns the tender condition that bidders cannot quote a rate below Rs 85 per seat per day. The PMC’s tender documents state that any bidder quoting below the approved rate would be treated as ineligible.
Keskar told The FPJ, “If a contractor says he can do the work for Rs 60 or Rs 50, he would be disqualified. I have never seen such a tender condition before.” He also questioned why the civic body has effectively fixed a floor price instead of allowing competitive bidding below the approved rate.
Documents accessed by The Free Press Journal also provide that if eligible contractors quote the same rate, selection would be made through a lottery. A contractor can be awarded work for a maximum of three regional offices, according to the conditions.
The tender requires bidders to submit an EMD of Rs 1 lakh and a bank solvency certificate of Rs 25 lakh. Contractors must also fulfil prescribed experience requirements, including having completed similar works of specified values during the previous five years. The tender documents prescribe a minimum turnover of Rs 2.25 crore in one of the previous five financial years.
PMC proposes integrated contract
The PMC’s proposal states that the present system of cleaning and repair tenders has several operational difficulties. Officials have noted that pressure-jetting machines cannot always reach toilets located inside densely populated settlements. The proposal also states that toilets are sometimes damaged, water connections and sanitary fittings are tampered with, and cleaning through machines alone is not always effective.
The civic body has therefore proposed bringing daily cleaning, sanitation and minor maintenance under a single contractor, with the objective of creating greater accountability for the condition of each toilet.
The scope includes cleaning three times a day, maintaining worker registers, providing standard cleaning material, undertaking minor plumbing and electrical repairs, repairing taps, doors, washbasins and sanitary fittings, attending to leakages and flooring, and carrying out deep cleaning at least twice a month.
However, Keskar has questioned whether the proposed expenditure is justified and whether existing PMC employees currently involved in sanitation work would be given alternative responsibilities.
He said, “The proposal submitted by the Solid Waste Management Department does not mention how many PMC employees are currently doing this work or what alternative work will be assigned to them.”
Budget provision questioned
Keskar has alleged that there was no separate budget head for the proposed expenditure and questioned how such a large tender could be floated without adequate provision.
However, the PMC documents attached to the proposal show that the work has been linked to budget head RE19A139 — “mechanical cleaning of sanitation facilities in Pune city” for 2026-27, according to the documents accessed by The Free Press Journal. The proposal also mentions a provision of around Rs 8.50 crore under the head and states that additional funds would have to be made available through reclassification as required.
The proposal specifically seeks approval to make payments to regional offices from this budget head and states that the concerned regional offices would be responsible for obtaining additional provision through reclassification, wherever necessary.
Keskar has questioned the process of providing for the balance amount. He said, “The tender is for nearly Rs 100 crore, while the available budget provision is only a fraction of that amount. The administration will have to explain how the remaining funds will be provided and under what approvals.”
Existing repair expenditure under scanner
Keskar has also sought scrutiny of expenditure on toilet repairs during the period from 2022 to 2025, claiming that the civic body may have spent around Rs 20 crore annually on toilet repair works during the period.
He has demanded that the PMC verify the expenditure from its records and examine whether the proposed integrated contract would actually reduce the corporation’s recurring financial burden.
Keskar said, “Before committing such a large amount, the PMC should verify how much has already been spent on toilet repairs and maintenance and whether the proposed system will actually result in savings.”
The representation also contains allegations of attempts to influence the tender process. Keskar alleged that several existing contractors involved in sweeping and sanitation-related works could be interested in the proposed contract.
He further alleged that attempts had been made to form a “ring” among contractors and claimed that efforts were underway for a settlement. He also alleged that the eligibility and disqualification provisions could potentially be used to influence the outcome.
While speaking to The Free Press Journal, Keskar alleged, “There has been an attempt to create a ring and there are now efforts for a settlement. The eligibility and disqualification provisions could become a decisive tool in the process.”
Keskar also questioned the PMC, “Is the PMC working for the contractors or for Punekars? Why are they choosing a tender which is working on a higher price and the PMC didn’t consider the ones who have approached with less price.”
Calls for inquiry and stay
Keskar has urged the municipal commissioner to halt the process until the financial calculations, tender conditions and administrative approvals are examined.
He has also referred to the Indore model, claiming that Pune could study its system of public toilet management to explore whether the civic body can reduce its expenditure.
“Pune should study the Indore model. Our officers have already visited Indore. The present Solid Waste Management Department officials should also be sent there to study the system before committing nearly Rs 100 crore,” he said.
The representation has also been marked to senior state government functionaries, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister and Pune guardian minister Sunetra Pawar, Union minister Murlidhar Mohol and other ministers and elected representatives.
“Rs 100 crore is not a small amount. This money comes from the taxes paid by citizens. We have therefore requested an immediate inquiry and a stay on the process until all aspects are examined,” Keskar said.
The PMC documents indicate that the proposed contract would initially run for two years, with a possible one-year extension if the contractor’s performance is satisfactory. The tender process was proposed to be conducted through the PMC’s regional offices and the MahaTenders system.
Meanwhile, The Free Press Journal had called PMC officials several times for their response and answers on the allegations, but they didn’t respond until the article was published.
