Ten newly purchased Mira Bhayandar waste collection vehicles are lying unused at the Ghodbunder bus depot, with rainwater reportedly collecting in their waste compartments and rust beginning to affect their metal components, according to a report by Loksatta.
The vehicles were procured by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation to strengthen door-to-door waste collection in the city. The report said the 10 vehicles have remained parked at the depot after purchase instead of being deployed for civic operations.
The vehicles are identified as having been purchased through a special fund associated with minister Pratap Sarnaik. The name of the fund is displayed on the vehicles, according to the report. However, no deployment schedule or operational explanation from the municipal administration was cited in the report.
Photographs and observations cited by Loksatta indicate that water has accumulated in the rear sections designed to hold waste. Prolonged exposure to rain has reportedly caused rust on parts of the vehicles. The report also noted that continued non-use could worsen their condition and increase maintenance costs before the vehicles begin serving residents.
The report further cited a claim that the vehicles have not yet been registered. If the registration process remains incomplete, the vehicles cannot be put into regular operation on public roads. The report did not establish when registration was expected to be completed or identify the administrative reason for the delay.
The issue raises an immediate question about the gap between municipal procurement and service delivery. Vehicles bought to improve waste collection provide no operational benefit while they remain parked, and deterioration during storage can reduce the usable life of a public asset. The condition of the vehicles also creates a separate maintenance and accountability concern for the corporation.
Mira Bhayandar’s waste collection system depends on the timely deployment and upkeep of municipal equipment. In this case, the report did not specify the purchase cost of the 10 vehicles, the date on which they were acquired, or whether any contractor or municipal department had been assigned responsibility for their operation and maintenance.
The report also did not include a response from the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation on the vehicles’ registration, deployment timeline or present condition. The next publicly stated step will need to clarify when the vehicles will be registered, inspected and placed into waste-collection service.
