Kulgaon Badlapur's Abandoned Waste Vehicles Spark Outrage

Badlapur: In a shocking revelation, the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipality has come under fire for purchasing 42 waste collection vehicles in 2018, which have now been deemed unfit for use and are set to be sold as scrap after lying unused for seven years. Despite spending approximately Rs 2.5 crore from taxpayers' money, these vehicles have remained idle, raising questions about accountability and transparency in local governance.

According to a detailed project report prepared for solid waste management, the municipality had identified the need for 42 vehicles to efficiently manage the city's waste. Each vehicle was purchased at a cost of Rs 5,86,990. However, since their arrival in October 2018, the vehicles have been left to gather dust at the municipality's sewage treatment plant, with only a few reportedly used for a short period. Some vehicles have been found abandoned in various locations, including the hills of Rameshwadi Badlapur.

Local representatives had previously opposed the allocation of these vehicles to a waste management contractor, fearing penalties for the contractor if the vehicles were put into service.

This opposition, coupled with a lack of action from the municipality, has resulted in the vehicles being neglected and ultimately rendered useless.

The municipality's history of mismanagement is not new. In a previous incident, a biogas project was reported to have cost millions without producing a single kilogram of biogas. This pattern of financial misappropriation has led to widespread public outrage.

During a recent inspection, our journalists discovered 28 of the 42 waste collection vehicles, with varying conditions.

While some were in relatively good shape, others were missing essential parts like tires and engines.

The Regional Transport Office (RTO) had conducted tests on 31 of these vehicles, yet the municipality has labeled them as "abandoned," raising questions about their future.

The municipality has now put 31 vehicles up for auction, with a fixed price of Rs 50,000 each, despite their differing conditions. This has sparked concerns about potential corruption, as critics question whether the pricing reflects the actual value of the vehicles.

Sanjay Jadhav, Badlapur Congress President, criticized the municipality's handling of the situation, stating that the vehicles were initially intended for waste collection but have been left unused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He accused the municipality of misusing public funds and called for the restoration of the vehicles instead of selling them off. Jadhav warned that if the vehicles are auctioned, the Congress party would organize protests and hunger strikes against the decision.

The ongoing saga of the Kulgaon Badlapur Municipality's waste management vehicles highlights a troubling trend of financial mismanagement and lack of accountability, leaving citizens questioning the integrity of their local government.