The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has planned to procure about 200 new vehicles for solid waste management.

These vehicles cost around Rs 65 crore to the exchequer of the municipal corporation.

The civic body has sent the proposal to the government for receiving approval. The proposed 198 new vehicles include bulk refuse carriers, tractors, garbage trucks, skid-steer loaders, beach cleaning machines, mobile toilets, compactors, etc.

GVMC will utilise the funds devised under the 15th finance commission grant for procuring these vehicles.

Many such vehicles in the existing fleet used for solid waste management are near completion of their lifespan. The civic body is still managing the solid waste management with these vehicles without any alternative. It is spending nearly Rs 3 crore annually for its maintenance and repair.

GVMC had been asked to send the proposal to procure new vehicles. However, the civic body did not segregate the existing waste vehicles based on their condition, age, and quantity of waste transportation per vehicle. The civic body also considered the city's growing and future demand regarding solid waste management to arrive at a number.

The civic body has set some 198 new vehicles to be used for various purposes, including road sweeping, garbage loading, transportation, etc., as the debris, drain silt, road dust, and other wastes have to be collected in separate vehicles.

An official said that GVMC would invite bids after getting approval from the state government.

After the procurement of the new vehicles, the existing vehicles cannot be used and will be sold as scrap in an open auction through Metal Scrap Trade Corporation (MSTC) Limited.

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