Guntur municipal corporation takes waste collection back in‑house

In a move that caught many local traders by surprise, the Guntur Municipal Corporation announced on Thursday that it has cancelled the two contracts it had with private agencies for collecting commercial waste. The decision, explained by Commissioner K. Mayur Ashok, means the city’s own teams will now do the job.

For the past few years, Cube Energy and Ramasethu Infrastructure were the go‑to firms for businesses that needed their trash hauled away. Together they ran a modest fleet of fourteen vehicles and employed fifty‑six workers. They also collected a small user fee from each trader – a charge that, according to the commissioner, will now disappear.

“We have decided to bring the service under the corporation’s direct control,” Ashok said, adding that the municipal corporation is already equipped to handle the task. “We have ten tractors, twelve compactors and a workforce of about a hundred sanitation staff ready to step in.”

The shift is not just about money. Officials argue that a unified, publicly run system can respond faster to complaints, keep the streets cleaner and cut down on the paperwork that often bogged down the private contractors. Traders, for their part, have welcomed the news, hoping the new arrangement will be smoother and cheaper.

While the article did not quote the private firms, it is clear that the corporation believes it can manage the logistics more efficiently. The cancellation also signals a broader trend in Indian cities, where municipal bodies are reassessing the role of private players in basic civic services.

As Guntur moves forward, residents will be watching closely to see whether the municipal crew can keep up with the volume of waste generated by the city’s bustling markets and shops. Only time will tell if the gamble pays off, but for now the city’s streets are set to be swept up by a new, home‑grown crew.