Pune, 18th October 2024: Big changes are coming to the way Pune’s main roads are swept, as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has canceled a ₹60 crore tender and reissued it with a whopping increase to ₹163 crore. The initial tender was scrapped after the contractor submitted bids with excessively high rates, ranging from 38% to 80% above the expected cost.
In the new tender, which has been extended from five to seven years, the scope has been expanded with additional technical requirements. This has caused the cost to skyrocket by nearly ₹100 crore in just four months. The annual expenditure per circle has increased significantly, from ₹4.51 crore to ₹5.83 crore, with the contractor now able to use their vehicles for two more years to help recover costs.
The number of pavement sweeper machines has also been increased, along with the inclusion of leaf blowers to push dust forward. This means more vehicles and workers will be required for sweeping, with three vehicles now being deployed instead of one. These changes have contributed to the inflated tender cost, which is now more than eight times the original estimate of ₹20.80 crore.
Prithviraj BP, the Additional Commissioner, acknowledged that the PMC’s previous rate for road sweeping was lower than other municipal corporations, leading to limited interest in the tender. With the reissued tender and increased cost, strict attention will be given to ensure that the work is carried out properly.
Overall, the sweeping of Pune’s main roads is set to become more efficient and effective, despite the significant increase in cost. The PMC is determined to get the job done right, even if it means shelling out more money to do so.
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