Gurgaon: A day after his appointment, the new MCG commissioner Dr Pankaj on Friday directed officials to ensure that all 22 road-sweeping machines are operational by Nov 22.The directive comes days after Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had questioned the poor performance of the machines and sought accountability from officials responsible for violations in dust control. MCG officials had subsequently set a deadline for improving the machines’ operational efficiency by 80% by Nov 15 — a criterion that has still not been met.“I have directed officials to ensure that all road sweeping machines are operational by Nov 22. I have also ordered regular monitoring of their functioning and effective mechanised cleaning of major roads,” said the MCG commissioner in a review meeting on Friday.The operational history of the road-sweeping machines has been filled with gaps and lapses. MCG’s clean air action plan identifies a requirement of 72 mechanical sweepers. However, only 24 machines were purchased by Haryana urban local bodies (ULB) department in 2018. In Sept 2019, MCG awarded the contract for operating and maintaining the machines till March 31, 2025, to a private agency. The contract was subsequently extended to March 2026. After the extension, MCG floated a fresh tender for a six-month stop-gap arrangement, which commenced on Oct 1 this year.A private agency was awarded the contract at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore.However, when TOI visited an open ground in Sector 47 at around 11.50pm on Oct 15, 10 of the city’s 24 machines were found parked there. Brushes supposed to be attached to one of the machines were lying on the ground. A representative of the agency had told TOI that the machines were already parked at the site before the contract commenced on Oct 1 and needed repairs before they could be deployed. Two of the 24 machines were also found to be completely non-operational.An inquiry conducted by MCG additional commissioner Yash Jaluka subsequently found serious lapses in the handover and takeover process. The inquiry pointed to inadequate physical verification of the machines and their components, absence of proper written handover records and failure to certify the condition of the equipment.The incoming agency, too, was required under the request for proposal to inspect the machines before bidding and accept them on an ‘as is where is’ basis. It had informed MCG through an email that all machines were operational. However, the inquiry found deficiencies in inspection, verification and timely rectification of faults.
