Patna: Patna’s municipal corporation is under serious pressure, with nearly one-third of the municipal corporation’s vehicles no longer working. The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) owns a total of 523 garbage collection vehicles, but only 327 are currently operational. The remaining 196 vehicles are out of order, making daily door-to-door waste collection difficult in many neighbourhoods. As a result, garbage is piling up in several areas, and residents are increasingly complaining about delays and poor sanitation.
The city has been divided into 375 sectors to manage waste collection efficiently, with vehicles assigned to each sector. However, officials say the system is failing because many vehicles have become old and damaged due to the lack of new purchases over the years. Some garbage trucks do not even have number plates, while others are in such bad condition that waste spills onto the roads during transport. Frequent breakdowns have made the situation worse, forcing sanitation workers to miss collection schedules in several parts of the city.
The problem is most visible in the closed tipper vehicle fleet, which is essential for safe garbage transport. Out of 373 closed tipper vehicles, only 184 are in working condition. The PMC also has 150 CNG-based closed tippers, of which 143 are operational, making them more reliable. Zones such as Patliputra and Nutan Rajdhani, which have the highest number of sectors, are badly affected as many of their vehicles are not functioning. Although repairs were carried out in September under Mission Vishwakarma, municipal officials say repairs are costly and buying new vehicles would be a better long-term solution. A final decision on purchasing new garbage vehicles is expected at the empowered standing committee meeting on December 15, following repeated demands from councillors.
At the same time, Patna’s street lighting system is also facing difficulties. Around 86,000 streetlights are installed across the city, and their maintenance is handled by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). However, repair work has slowed because the agency’s tender expired about three months ago. The PMC also owes the agency around Rs 33 crore in pending payments, which has affected its ability to pay staff and vendors. As a result, the workforce has been reduced to about 25 percent of the required strength, even though standards require one repair team for every 1,000 lights. Officials say preparations are underway to grant the agency a six-month extension, but until then, both garbage collection and streetlight repairs remain a daily struggle for the city’s residents.
