CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation is set to procure seven high-pressure jet washer units mounted on CNG-operated light motor vehicles at a cost of Rs 87.5 lakh to clean bus shelters and footpaths across all 15 zones of the city.
According to the tender floated by the GCC’s mechanical department, each vehicle will be fitted with a water tanker with capacity ranging from of 1,800 to 2,000 litres and an integrated high-pressure jet washing system.
The water tanker will be designed with internal baffles to minimise the flow of water being used. The truck is set to have a payload capacity of at least 1,200 kg, a minimum 50 HP CNG engine, among other mandates.
The jetting system, powered by a petrol engine of at least 7.5 HP, can generate pressure up to 180 bar, and can effectively remove dirt and grime from pavements and other public infrastructure. Each unit will also be equipped with a high-pressure hose and a multi-nozzle spray gun.
Speaking to TNIE, a corporation official from the mechanical department said in the first phase, seven such vehicles will be procured for cleaning operations, with additional units to be added in subsequent phases. He added,
“The water required for cleaning activities will be obtained through the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board department. It is likely to be of good quality, as recycled water is only being used for gardening purposes as of now.”
Last year, the Greater Chennai Corporation deployed around 30 such vehicles across the city to spray and clean footpaths and other public spaces. It also undertook intensive mass-cleaning drives covering interior roads, bus route roads, parks, and burial grounds, during which construction debris, posters, and unauthorised advertisement hoardings were cleared. Corporation officials said water-based cleaning will help to reduce dust levels and maintain cleaner public spaces across the city.
Meanwhile, a city-based activist told TNIE the city corporation must also focus on identifying and relaying the damaged footpaths. They said for instance, the footpath along Guruswamy Bridge in Chetpet is in a poor condition with paver tiles broken, often causing pedestrians to slip. They added encroachments on footpaths must also be monitored. Still, many footpaths in the city continue to be inaccessible for persons with disabilities, requiring GCC to work on them, they added.