In a strategic move to enhance urban cleanliness and air quality, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is rolling out a new initiative to tackle the grime on the city’s footpaths, sidewalks, and narrow lanes. This initiative, involving the deployment of compact mechanical sweepers, seeks to bridge the gap in pedestrian area maintenance, a domain that has hitherto been neglected in favour of larger roads.
Until recently, BBMP’s mechanical sweepers have been exclusively deployed on main roads, efficiently addressing dust and litter. However, recognising the pressing need to extend this service to the city’s pedestrian pathways, the BBMP is now procuring specialised machinery that can manoeuvre through these smaller, more intricate spaces. A BBMP official remarked, “We aim to provide cleaner and more accessible walking spaces for citizens by stepping up our efforts to clean the city’s congested footpaths, sidewalks, and narrow lanes.” The BBMP’s initiative comes in response to increasing public concern over deteriorating air quality, exacerbated by unchecked construction, demolition, and road repairs. These activities have stirred up fine dust, which pervades homes and workplaces, affecting residents’ health and comfort. Reports of respiratory issues linked to this dust have amplified the call for improved city hygiene practices.
The civic body is currently finalising the specifications for the mini-sweepers, which are intended to be more agile and efficient than their larger counterparts. “These newly designed mini-sweepers are expected to navigate through obstacles and clean effectively in the limited space of pedestrian areas,” stated the official. By outsourcing the design, supply, operation, and maintenance of this equipment to private firms, the BBMP aims to ensure the upkeep of clean and accessible footpaths across the city for the next year, with the operational costs borne by the BBMP itself.
In anticipation of floating tenders for the procurement of these machines, the BBMP is optimistic about the initiative’s potential to significantly improve both air quality and the overall cleanliness of Bengaluru. This commitment not only underlines the city’s efforts to enhance its urban environment but also aims to make Bengaluru a more pleasant place to live and work.
