The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has launched a pilot project by deploying five electric litter-picking vehicles across three markets to improve sanitation and tackle litter in public spaces, officials said.
The vehicles have been deployed at Sadar Bazar, Sheetla Mata Bazaar and Sector 7 market. Officials said around ₹ 1 crore has been spent on the vehicles, which are designed to suction dust, small litter packets, plastic waste and other debris from roads and public spaces. Each vehicle has a waste collection capacity of around 600-650 litres and can operate for nearly eight hours on a single battery charge.
Residents have repeatedly raised concerns over sanitation in public spaces, particularly in parks and busy market areas. They have pointed to litter, plastic waste, dust and other debris accumulating along roadsides, footpaths and open spaces, affecting the overall cleanliness of neighbourhoods. They urged the civic authorities to ensure the new machines supplement, rather than replace, regular sanitation workers and routine cleaning.
The vehicles are designed for regular use in busy market areas, officials said. If the pilot proves successful, MCG plans to deploy more such vehicles in markets across the city, officials said. Sundar Sheoran, executive engineer with the MCG, told HT that the vehicles would be deployed daily during the pilot phase. “For a month, we will monitor their performance and assess how effective they are in improving cleanliness on the roads,” he said. Residents said regular sweeping and waste removal remained important, particularly in areas with heavy pedestrian movement.
