Ahmedabad: After spending lakhs annually to paint road dividers and BRTS railings ahead of VVIP visits, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has drawn fresh scrutiny over a proposal to spend Rs 8.28 crore to wash and clean over 100km of iron railings across the city.The proposal, submitted by AMC’s central workshop department to the health and solid waste management committee, seeks approval to acquire four specialised guardrail washing machines and finance their operation and maintenance for five years. The equipment will be used to clean railings along public roads, footpaths, BRTS corridors, and Metro rail routes.Under the tender terms, the civic body plans to buy four machines from the lowest bidder (L1) at Rs 2.07 crore each, totalling Rs 8.28 crore plus 18% GST. Beyond the capital expense, the civic body will pay operational charges of Rs 18,540 per machine per eight-hour shift during the first-year warranty period, rising to Rs 18,990 per shift in subsequent years.Civic sources pointed out that the total outlay on operation and maintenance over five years remains unspecified in the proposal and could run into several crores. Critics and insiders question the rationale, noting that repainting the entire railing network annually would cost a fraction of the proposed expenditure on mere washing.
