Patna: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is preparing a new master plan to overhaul waste collection and sanitation services across the city, with a proposal to hand over the entire waste collection operation to a private agency.
The civic body estimates that the proposed arrangement could save around Rs 18.4 crore a month compared with the existing system. The plan is projected to cost about Rs 555.32 crore over four years.
Under the proposed model, the private agency would be responsible for waste collection and related logistics, including vehicles. The PMC would therefore not need to purchase additional waste collection vehicles under the new arrangement.
Proposal To Go Before Elected Representatives
The PMC has cancelled an earlier tender for the project and will seek the views of elected representatives before restarting the procurement process.
The proposal will first be placed before the Empowered Standing Committee and then before the municipal corporation’s board. Representatives of all 75 wards are expected to discuss the proposed sanitation system, costs, employee arrangements and the responsibilities of the private agency.
A fresh tender will be issued only after the proposal receives the necessary approval.
The civic body wants to settle operational and financial issues before inviting bids to avoid complications during implementation.
Employee Absorption Remains Key Issue
The status of existing sanitation workers is one of the main issues holding up the proposal.
The PMC currently has 4,822 outsourced workers, 647 permanent employees and 3,816 daily-wage workers. Following a recent strike by daily-wage workers, the corporation had given assurances on increasing their honorarium and dearness allowance.
The resulting employee-related expenditure is now estimated at around Rs 163 crore annually.
The board will have to decide whether the PMC will continue to manage the salaries and employment of existing workers or whether these responsibilities will be assigned to the private agency.
The tender process is expected to resume only after this issue is clarified.
Collection Planned Across 375 Sectors
The proposed system will cover all 75 wards and divide the city into 375 sectors for waste collection and monitoring.
The private agency would collect waste daily from households as well as commercial establishments. According to PMC data, around 404,509 residential and commercial properties would come under the proposed system.
This includes more than 342,000 houses, hostels and apartments, along with over 61,000 shops and other commercial establishments.
The collection network would also cover hospitals, hotels, malls, government offices and petrol pumps.
The PMC aims to establish a regular collection system across these locations to reduce the accumulation of waste in public areas.
Small Houses Account For Largest Share
PMC data shows that properties measuring up to 100 square metres make up the largest category under the proposed collection system.
There are more than 207,000 such houses in the city. The new model is intended to streamline collection from households and commercial premises while improving monitoring and accountability.
PMC Expects Lower Operating Costs
The proposed private agency model is aimed at improving sanitation services while reducing the corporation’s expenditure.
The PMC currently spends around Rs 30 crore a month on sanitation services. Its estimate of Rs 18.4 crore in monthly savings is based on the projected cost of the proposed outsourced model compared with the existing arrangement.
However, the final financial impact will depend on the terms of the new contract and decisions on existing employees, salaries, vehicles and other operational responsibilities.
The PMC is currently reviewing the costs and staffing requirements following the cancellation of the earlier tender. The next tender will be issued after the Empowered Standing Committee and the municipal board consider and approve the proposal.
