Garbage collection revamp in Bengaluru faces hurdle as only six of 21 successful bidders accept work orders

The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited had planned 33 waste collection packages to cover 28 Assembly constituencies and issued tenders for 21 packages. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K Only six of the 21 bid winners have accepted the work orders for garbage collection which were recently approved by the State Cabinet, while eight packages have been challenged in court, according to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) sources.The development comes amid the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) tightening rules to reform the waste collection system in the city. The new tenders had mandated several aspects, including GPS tracking and vehicles with increased capacity to collect waste.Karee Gowda, Chief Executive Officer, BSWML, told The Hindu that eight packages had been challenged in court and seven had been accepted. For the seven rejected packages, the BSWML floated tenders again.Suggestions by stakeholdersFor monitoringPrepare micro-plans for waste collection and managementIntroduce GPS tracking for collection vehiclesNominate ward in-chargeFor volunteer participationAuthorise wardens with valid ID cardAppoint one volunteer for each blockInstitutionalise the wardens’ systemFor improving household collectionCrack down on sub-contracting of waste collectionEstablish clear collection routes and deploy suitable vehiclesEstablish a common communication platform for stakeholders, including citizensIntroduce night-time collection in densely populated areasWith this, the BSWML, which was hoping to establish strict accountability through close monitoring of the collection system, is now facing a setback. The agency had planned 33 waste collection packages to cover 28 Assembly constituencies and issued tenders for 21 packages.After the process, the details of the lowest bidders and the tenders were sent to the Cabinet for approval, which had set up a committee to assess the cost. The Cabinet later suggested revisions to the tenders, and the necessary changes were made. Finally, the Cabinet approved the tenders. Now, fresh challenges have emerged for the BSWML. Published - September 24, 2026 09:43 pm IST