BENGALURU: The festivities on the evening of December 31 evening through the early hours of Wednesday led to significant littering on the streets of Bengaluru. According to data shared by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), 15 tonnes of waste was collected and cleared from Brigade Road, Church Street, Museum Road, St Mark’s Road, Lavelle Road and surrounding regions near MG Road.
BBMP east zone commissioner Snehal R and BSWML chief general manager Basavaraj Kabade personally oversaw the cleaning efforts in the city’s Central Business District roads early Wednesday morning.
“The cleanup began at 3 am along MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street, Residency Road, Richmond Road, St Mark’s Road, Kasturba Road and other areas near MG Road Junction. The work was completed by 7 am, with 15 tonnes of waste cleared, ensuring the streets were ready for the smooth movement of citizens,” said an official.
The cleaning operation was carried out by the solid waste department of Shantinagar division, with over 70 civic workers on the ground. They were supported by junior health officers and marshals overseeing the work, along with 25 auto tippers and three compactors deployed for waste collection.
“Plastic covers, plastic bottles, slippers, and other items were strewn on the roads and footpaths. They were segregated and collected. Three tonnes of waste was sent to the dry waste collection unit for recycling,” said a senior engineer from BSWML.
In preparation for the cleanup, BBMP workers conducted a field survey covering a 7-km radius from MG Road, the epicentre of New Year’s celebrations, starting immediately after the celebrations ended around 2 am. Based on the findings, waste clearing teams were promptly dispatched.