Himalaya Harbinger, Uttarakhand Bureau.
In a bid to address long-standing complaints regarding delays in garbage collection, the Kashipur Municipal Corporation (KMC) in Udham Singh Nagar district, has introduced a GPS-based monitoring system. This initiative, a first for the Kumaon division, aims to ensure timely door-to-door garbage collection and proper disposal across the 40-square-kilometer city.
Commissioner of the KMC, Vivek Rai said, “We have received repeated complaints about garbage collection vehicles skipping areas and delays in waste disposal. To address these issues, we have integrated technology to streamline the process and improve efficiency.”
KMC has set up a dedicated control room for real-time monitoring. Each ward has been geo-tagged using GIS mapping to record the number of lanes, road widths, and narrow passages. “The control room will provide live updates on vehicle movement, including how long a vehicle stops in a specific area and the exact time it arrives at any ward,” Rai explained. An alarm system has also been installed to alert officials if a vehicle fails to reach its designated location on time.
Under the revamped system, a fleet comprising 45 tempos, 13 e-rickshaws, 46 handcarts, five tractors, two dumpers, and a JCB will serve the city’s 40 wards. Additionally, 140 sanitation workers and eight supervisors, connected through walkie-talkies, will monitor operations. Supervisors will ensure collected waste is transferred directly to trenching grounds via designated collection points, eliminating the need for smaller vehicles to travel long distances.
To further enhance efficiency, KMC has partnered with MSWM, an agency contracted to manage the city’s sanitation. The area generates approximately 60 metric tons of waste daily from around 66,000 households and 5,600 commercial establishments.
“The contractor company will now oversee the entire sanitation system. This will ensure stricter accountability and better service delivery,” Rai added.
