MADURAI: The Madurai Corporation has floated a tender worth Rs 270 crore to outsource solid waste management operations in 81 wards for 18 months. The move comes amid repeated protests by sanitation workers and complaints from elected councillors over the functioning of Ourland, the agency currently handling waste management in the city.
The contractor faced criticism from councillors over improper garbage clearance and lapses in sanitation services. During the previous council meeting, the corporation commissioner had assured councillors that Ourland’s contract would end by mid-November.
A senior corporation official said, “The contract for Ourland ends by November 15, but it might continue till November end as the tender process is ending by November 30. Before New Year, the new agency would take charge. Compared to the previous Ourland contract, the present tender addresses staff shortages by increasing the number of sanitation workers and vehicles. Also, a portion of the wards will be managed by the Corporation’s permanent workers, while the remaining wards will be managed by the agency.”
The new contract will cover Zones 1, 2, 3 and 5, while the remaining 19 wards, comprising all 18 wards in Zone 4 and Ward 84, will continue to be maintained by the corporation’s sanitation staff.
The selected contractor will operate and maintain 38 Micro Composting Centres (MCCs) and two Solid Waste Transfer Stations, each with a capacity of 200 tonnes per day, at Thathaneri and Kochadai.
The tender mandates the deployment of at least 3,407 sanitation workers, apart from supervisors, drivers and other personnel. Operations will be carried out in three shifts, from 6 am to 2 pm, 2 pm to 10 pm and 10 pm to 6 am.
Biometric attendance, GPS-enabled vehicle tracking and QR code or RFID-based household scanning have been made mandatory to improve monitoring and accountability.
Welcoming the move, resident and civic activist Mahendra Varman said, “It is appreciated that the staff and vehicle shortages are being addressed in the new tender. We hope that the new agency will solve the prolonged solid waste management issues.”