The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd (BSWML) has handed over all major contracts for managing the city’s construction and demolition (C&D) waste to a single private player—Chaitra Civil Ventures LLP—raising eyebrows over potential bias and lack of transparency.

Despite a thriving ecosystem of transport providers, Chaitra was the lone bidder for three crucial tenders and bagged two more for debris processing. These five long-term contracts, worth ₹2,227 crore over 15 years (₹148.5 crore annually), mark BSWML’s largest C&D waste initiative to date.

The goal: curb illegal dumping and ensure cleaner lakes, drains, and open spaces. However, citizen groups argue that entrusting one agency with the city’s entire waste logistics is impractical. They accuse the government of contradicting its own decentralisation claims by centralising core civic responsibilities.

According to a senior BSWML official, the firm will also be tasked with collecting service fees directly from those generating waste—an added risk. While tenders were floated through the e-procurement portal, most bidders were disqualified for technical reasons, leaving Chaitra as the last one standing. Notably, its initial quote was 69% higher than BSWML’s estimates, but was revised after negotiations.

Experts say the tendering process should have separated transport and processing operations due to differing technical needs. A retired BBMP officer alleged the setup was skewed: “Most of the cost is for transport. Splitting tenders could have boosted competition and lowered rates.”

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