Eyeing to prevent risks of safety hazards, civic brass has directed ward officials to “immediately reject and withdraw” all vehicles which are found to be unsafe during the course of the inspection. (Credit: https://www.mcgm.gov.in/)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday issued directives calling for “immediate inspection” of the city’s fleet of solid waste collection and transportation vehicles after a field inspection of its fleet operations in Dharavi shed light on poor condition of several large compactors and mini-compactors.
Eyeing to prevent risks of safety hazards, civic brass has directed ward officials to “immediately reject and withdraw” all vehicles which are found to be unsafe during the course of the inspection.
According to senior officials from the BMC’s solid waste management (SWM) department, several large and mini compactors which collect waste were found in “extremely poor” condition during the course of a recent inspection in Dharavi.
Taking cognisance of the finding, the Deputy Municipal Commissioner of SWM department on Tuesday issued a notice calling all assistant engineers of SWM and transport divisions to launch a joint inspection of all solid waste collection and transport vehicles across all 24 wards of the city.
“Only those vehicles which are found to be mechanically fit and safe for operation on public roads shall be permitted to ply. All damaged, unsafe, or unfit vehicles shall be immediately rejected and withdrawn from service,” read a notice issued by the DMC’s office on Tuesday.
“Vehicles in such a poor state are prone to frequent breakdowns and pose serious hazards, including the risk of fatal accidents. In order to ensure public and staff safety as well as ensure uninterrupted solid waste management operations, the decision to launch an immediate inspection was taken,” a senior official from the BMC said.
Following inspections, the ward level officials have been asked to submit a detailed report with data on the total number of vehicles rejected due to poor mechanical condition as well as data on the number of additional vehicles and machinery required from the transport department to ensure smooth operations in the future. Furthermore, strict directives have been issued to not accept or deploy damaged or unfit vehicles.
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In its notice, the BMC has also tasked all assistant engineers (SWM) across wards towards ensuring that all collection and transportation activities are executed before 8 am.
The deputy chief engineers across the operation department have been directed to prepare a standardised list with three categories of vehicle inspection, vehicle rejection and additional vehicle and machinery requirements.
The directives come along the heels of the BMC’s ongoing efforts to overhaul Mumbai’s waste collection and transport facility through a “service-based” model. Pegged at a cost of Rs, 4,000 crore, the BMC is set to deploy new waste collection trucks across 22 wards wherein it will appoint private contractors to carry out sweeping, cleaning and garbage collection.
As per the tender clause, only new and closed body, eco-friendly trucks with a post January-2025 registration will be permitted to ply across the city to collect and transport waste.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
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