Battery tricycles to collect garbage door-to-door

“The decision of purchasing the battery vehicles was taken at a high-powered committee meeting and the vehicles will be procured with the funds from Swachch Bharath Mission,” a Chennai Corporation official said.

According to the official, the mechanical department of the civic body would purchase close to 411 battery vehicles at a cost of Rs 7.40 crore.

Explaining the rationale behind preferring the battery vehicle over conventional tricycles, the official said, “The decision was taken to improve the efficiency of the door-to-door collection of garbage. The battery vehicles can also reduce manual effort of conservancy workers and save time.”

Sources said the Central government would provide Rs 2.59 crore while the state government would provide Rs 4.07 crore and the civic body would spend Rs 74 lakh from its exchequer. The approximate cost of one battery vehicle is Rs 1.80 lakh.

“The special council had recently accorded administrative sanction to the procurement and the battery vehicles will be purchased after tenders are floated,” the official added.

The civic body is also taking steps to purchase an amphibian equipment for the removal of Hyacinth and desilting of canals at a cost of Rs 8 crore. “Also, six vehicles mounted with high capacity suction jetting machines will be procured at a cost of Rs 63.62 crore to desilt closed storm water drains in the city,” the official said.