The Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) is reviewing 73 vehicles handed to a private contractor after a recent valuation showed steep losses. The Regional Transport Office (RTO) assessed the fleet at Rs 12 mn, down from about Rs 99.1 mn originally. The corporation had awarded the garbage-collection contract to R&B Infra on 1 May 2022 and handed over 50 collection vehicles bought through 14th Finance Commission funds, valued at Rs 32.5 mn, and 23 registered vehicles valued at Rs 65.0 mn for a nominal rent of Re 1.

After repeated reports of garbage accumulation the civic administration terminated the agreement on 13 February 2024 and sought to recover its assets. Only seven vehicles have been returned and several are said to be with sub-contractors or in a state close to scrap. The administration stated that a recovery claim of Rs 78.3 mn remained pending, which included the assessed vehicle value of Rs 12 mn. It listed other claims of Rs 27.0 mn for minimum wages, Rs 18.0 mn for work carried out after termination and Rs 33.3 mn for vehicle rent from April 2024 to July 2026, plus a Rs 1.5 mn penalty.

The contractor has also approached the courts seeking roughly Rs 150.0 mn, intensifying the financial pressure on the civic body. Municipal Commissioner Anmol Sagar set up a committee of senior officials to assess the assets and recommend action. The committee has submitted its opinion and a proposal may be placed before the Standing Committee to decide on recovery or settlement.

Deputy Commissioner Vikram Darade said officials had obtained the committee views and that further action was under consideration. Political figures criticised the administration's monitoring of outsourced assets given the corporation's constrained finances. The episode has prompted calls for tighter asset-tracking and clearer contractual safeguards when public property is handed to private operators.