Will small EV-sweepers keep Bengaluru’s narrow market lanes cleaner? 

In November 2024, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) announced that the civic body will buy 86 small battery-operated mechanical sweepers to clean narrow streets in the city’s densely populated market areas and commercial streets to reduce dust. While a few citizens were skeptical about the use of these sweepers, solid waste management experts, shopkeepers at market areas and shoppers have appreciated the move.  

Existing truck-sized sweepers 

The BBMP currently uses 25 large truck-sized mechanical sweepers for cleaning arterial roads during nighttime. Currently, large, mechanized cleaning machines are used only on arterial and sub-arterial roads.

However, these machines are unable to navigate the narrow lanes of commercial areas such as the Old Pete area, Shivajinagar, and other market hubs in the city, where mechanical sweeping has been a longstanding demand to reduce dust accumulation. Dust accumulation along median strips due to heavy vehicular traffic has also not been adequately addressed.

To address this limitation, the State government has approved funds under the 15th Finance Commission Grants for the procurement of battery-operated electric mechanical sweeping machines with a capacity of less than two cubic meters. The BBMP has issued tenders for 86 of these compact electric sweepers and tenders have been called for twice.

These new mini-sweepers are expected to be more manoeuvrable and efficient in cleaning confined spaces like footpaths and sidewalks, thereby contributing to a cleaner and healthier urban environment. 

The BBMP is in the process of finalising the specifications for these machines and has floated tenders for their procurement. The civic body is hopeful that this initiative will improve air quality and also enhance the overall cleanliness of the city.

More than seven crores 

Speaking to The Hindu, Basavaraj Kabade, chief engineer of BBMP’s Solid Waste Management (SWM) section said that the machines will help manage cleanliness in densely populated and busy areas.

“Around ₹7.5 crores has been allocated under the 15th Finance Commission Grants and we have called for tenders. The EV-sweepers are being procured to mostly be used in the commercial areas that are very crowded and have smaller lanes like Commercial Street, Church Street, K.R. Market, Gandhi Bazaar and other such areas. The machines will be used during the nighttime just like truck-sized sweepers, as the market areas are less crowded during the night and will look cleaner throughout the day,” he said.   

“The existing truck sweepers are around 10 cubic meters and can hold larger amounts of dust but can not be navigated on smaller roads. However, the EV-sweepers are as big as an auto or a small hatchback car, they can be driven around easily. The EV-sweepers will hold no more than 0.5-1 cubic meters of dust,” Kabade explained.  

“Most Pourakarmikas are in their 40s and 50s, and over a period of time, with the city growing, we will not have enough labourers to do the job,” says Sarfaraz Khan, an SWM expert.
| Photo Credit:
MURALI KUMAR K

Reducing manpower

Sarfaraz Khan, an SWM expert, director of a cooperative audit in the Department of Cooperation and the former joint commissioner for BBMP’s SWM Department, said the move by the BBMP is a good one.

“It will play a huge role in reducing the city’s dust and pollution levels. Back when I was in the BBMP, I had suggested the city have a minimum of 100 sweepers. Most Pourakarmikas are in their 40s and 50s, and over a period of time, with the city growing, we will not have enough labourers to do the job. What one mechanical sweeper sweeps in a day will require a lot of manpower if done my Pourakarmikas. Back then when we had estimated the cost it was close to ₹7.5 lakhs for a truck-sized sweeper, but the salaries for Pourakarmikas would go up to ₹30 lakhs per month,” he said.  

“More importantly, the roads are not safe. Especially during the nighttime and early mornings, with speeding vehicles and trucks it is not safe to let Pourakarmikas do the job and risk their lives,” Khan added. 

Monitoring is key

He pointed out that when BBMP brought in the truck-sized sweepers initially, the authorities made sure a camera was added to the truck, so they could have before and after pictures of the roads that were cleaned, with the time stamp. “It does not make sense for the BBMP to just buy the sweepers and hand them over to a contractor. You need to have a GPS system, mapping system, and software that shows how much sweeping has been done by the machine on that day, how much dust was generated, where it was deposited and other information, all of which should be shared on a public portal or domain,” Khan explained. 

Dinseh Reddy, who runs a fancy store in Gandhi Bazaar, said while the move is appreciated, the BBMP will have to plan it well. “Dust has always been a major issue in market areas, especially in the smaller lanes. We are forced to sweep and sprinkle water at least three times a day, to avoid dust getting into the shops. These sweepers will really help us, as long as the BBMP plans it well,” he said. 

Parking rules

He pointed that while most shops are closed by 11 p.m., many shopkeepers leave their personal vehicles or carts on the streets throughout the night, which may be a hindrance to the sweepers and may not clean well. “If strict traffic and parking rules are brought in, then this will work really well,” Reddy explained. 

Syed Saleem, a textile shop owner at Commercial Street, said the idea would work, if lanes are cleared and free for the sweepers to move around. “Most of the roads have stalls, or pushcarts or vehicles on the sides of the roads, which are mostly permanently there. Even if the sweepers can navigate these small lanes, it will only clean the centre of the roads, and not the sides, which are occupied. If the BBMP can ensure the sides of the roads are also cleared, these sweepers will help a lot of us have clean surroundings,” Saleem said.  

Two rounds of cleaning

Subamma, a flower vendor at the K.R. Market says having the sweeping machines only at night will not help. “We have seen these huge machines clean and go around the market during the night. But what is the point of cleaning only at night? Most of the load in the market comes in early in the morning. At least till 11 a.m., the market has a lot of waste and dust. If one round of cleaning can be done by the sweepers late in the morning or afternoon, the lanes will be clean and pollution free till the next morning,” she explained.