Bengaluru’s planned GPS-based garbage collection overhaul has stalled after contractors accepted work orders for only five of 21 government-approved packages, forcing Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) to recall 10 tenders and warning of a further three-to-six-month delay in implementation.
The revised door-to-door collection system is intended to replace the existing auto-tipper model with digitally monitored operations. Under the proposed arrangement, collection vehicles will be tracked through GPS, routes will be monitored online and payments will be processed only after assigned services are verified.
BSWML officials said contractors initially sought a 25% premium over the estimated contract value but later agreed to a 14% premium proposed by the agency. Government and cabinet approvals were secured on that basis. Several contractors subsequently declined to proceed, arguing that the agreed premium was insufficient.
“Only after they agreed for 14% premium did we proceed with securing all approvals. Now, they are saying 14% is not enough,” a senior BSWML official said, according to the report.
The five packages for which work orders have been accepted cover Govindarajanagar, Mahalakshmi Layout, Chickpet, Chamarajpet and Vijayanagar. Vijayanagar is expected to be the first assembly constituency to receive the new system, with operations likely to begin in about a month.
BSWML had proposed dividing the citywide restructuring into 33 packages covering all 28 assembly constituencies. The cabinet approved 21 packages, but the rollout has been affected by the contractors’ refusal to take up several of the sanctioned works. Sources cited in the report said dissatisfaction also followed the disqualification of some firms and their co-working partners during the tender process.
The new contract model includes stricter operational controls. Daily billing will be linked to verified service delivery, while vehicle movement and route completion will be recorded digitally. Officials believe the monitoring requirements may have contributed to the reluctance of some contractors to join the system.
The dispute comes as Bengaluru’s waste collection network faces pressure from rapid population growth and inadequate collection infrastructure. The delayed rollout is expected to affect plans to expand door-to-door services and improve accountability in daily garbage collection.
Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the government would proceed with fresh tenders if contractors were unwilling to accept the work. “We can’t help it if they want to back out after the entire procedure is completed and govt approval has been obtained. We have no other option but to call for fresh tenders and bring in new agencies to provide services,” he said.
Separately, the Karnataka government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act for waste-management services across Bengaluru for one year. The notification prohibits employees and workers involved in door-to-door collection, transportation and related sanitation services from going on strike.
The government cited concerns over public health and sanitation after contractors threatened to suspend operations over revised wage implementation, diesel-cost reimbursements and delays in bill payments. Contractors have argued that higher operating expenses and statutory liabilities have made existing contracts financially unviable. Officials fear that a large-scale disruption could result in garbage accumulation across the city, particularly after the post-festival period. Fresh tenders for the 10 withdrawn packages are expected to determine the revised implementation timeline.
