Rs 613 crore for hiring 46 sweeping machines sparks political storm

Bengaluru: A major controversy has erupted in Karnataka after the state cabinet approved a Rs613.25-crore proposal to hire 46 mechanical sweeping machines for seven years to maintain road cleanliness across five newly formed municipal corporations in Greater Bengaluru.

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has alleged that the project involves a scam of over Rs500 crore, triggering a heated political debate over the financial transparency of the initiative.

Law Minister HK Patil announced that the cabinet has given administrative approval for hiring 46 road-sweeping machines on a rental basis. The entire expenditure will be borne by the newly created city municipal corporations. As per the approved plan, the annual expenditure per machine comes to around Rs2 crore. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje sharply criticised the government, calling the project a “massive financial scam.”

She highlighted the huge discrepancy between the market cost of the machines and the proposed spending: The cost of one sweeping machine ranges between Rs50 lakh and Rs 80 lakh.Even at the highest estimate, 46 machines would cost around Rs38 crore. Salaries for 46 drivers and 100 support staff for seven years would amount to Rs 60–70 crore. Including maintenance and manpower, the total should not cross Rs 100 crore, she argued.

“But the government is spending Rs 613 crore. Where is the remaining Rs 500 crore going? Who is benefitting from this?” she questioned, demanding that the state immediately withdraw the proposal and ensure transparency.

Before the cabinet decision, the issue had been debated extensively in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Authority (BMA) meeting.

A technical committee headed by KUDFC Managing Director R. Selvamani recommended that the government purchase the machines and assign maintenance to a separate agency, instead of opting for a rental model.

However, BMA — with support from RITES and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) — argued that renting would avoid a “heavy initial capital cost.”

BCG estimated that purchasing each machine would require nearly Rs 3 crore upfront, prompting the authorities to choose the rental route.

The cabinet eventually accepted the rental proposal, citing the need to avoid high initial investment.

Bengaluru currently operates 26 sweeping machines, but complaints have been widespread regarding their poor performance.

The inefficiency has caused dust accumulation on major roads, contributing to declining air quality levels in several parts of the city.

With allegations of inflated costs and violation of expert recommendations, opposition parties and civic activists are now demanding a detailed investigation into the decision-making process.

As the debate intensifies, the Rs 613-crore sweeping machine project has become yet another flashpoint in Karnataka’s ongoing political tussle over urban governance and infrastructure spending.