Nagpur: Sanitation workers from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Solid Waste Management Department worked round the clock to keep the city clean during the 70th Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Day. The department collected a total of 144 tonnes of waste from the Dikshabhoomi area over three days.
The workers also played a significant role in cleaning the Ambazari, Bezonbagh and Untkhana areas. A total of 872 sanitation workers, 234 waste collectors, three suction machines, three chokage machines, 190 waste bins and 108 vehicles were deployed across three shifts. Four compactors were used to dispose of the waste at Bhandewadi. The civic administration succeeded in maintaining the city’s cleanliness despite the arrival of lakhs of followers.
For Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Day, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation handled civic amenities, sanitation and traffic arrangements. Municipal employees had been working around the clock since October 18, with their duties divided into three shifts. Senior officers from each department were appointed as nodal officers. The arrangements were made under the direction of Mayor Nita Thakare and Commissioner Dr. Vipin to ensure that the lakhs of followers visiting the city faced no inconvenience.
Mayor Nita Thakare, Deputy Mayor Lilatai Hathibed, Standing Committee Chairperson Shivani Dani Vakhare, ruling party leader Narendra (Balya) Borkar and Transport Committee Chairperson Mangala Khekare conducted regular inspections.
Additional Commissioners Ankit, Muruganandham M. and Milind Meshram worked to ensure the success of the arrangements. Commissioner Dr. Vipin personally monitored the arrangements. On October 20, the day of Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Day, he inspected the civic facilities and checked whether the followers were facing any difficulties. He also interacted with them to seek their views on the civic amenities.
Sanitation arrangements
The Solid Waste Management Department was primarily responsible for collecting and disposing of the waste generated by the arrival of lakhs of followers in the city. The municipal corporation made arrangements at various levels and successfully implemented the system with the assistance of Antony Waste Handling Company and BVG India Limited, which handle waste collection in the city.
The two companies deployed 108 vehicles across three shifts and assigned 234 employees to collect waste. The operation was conducted under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Bhagat, Chief Sanitation Officer Dr. Gajendra Mahalle, Laxminagar Zone Assistant Commissioner Dhananjay Jadhav and Sanitation Officer Rishikesh Ingle. NDS personnel also contributed to the sanitation efforts. An NDS team was stationed in the Dikshabhoomi area under the leadership of NDS chief Veersen Tambe.
1,200 toilets
Twenty-one domes were erected in the Dikshabhoomi area to provide shelter for the followers. More than 1,200 toilets were also installed, all of them connected to sewer lines. Sanitation workers were deployed to remove waste immediately from the premises and roads. The civic body provided this service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Nagpur Municipal Corporation provided 44 permanent and 16 temporary CCTV cameras to assist the police department with security arrangements. A total of 120 taps were installed along the roads for drinking water, while drinking water facilities were also provided at every shelter. Additional lighting arrangements were made as well.
Waste bins placed across the area
Waste bins were placed on both sides of the roads in the Dikshabhoomi area. As waste was deposited in these bins, less waste accumulated on the roads. Sanitation workers were deployed in three shifts to remove waste from the roads.
Two shifts were assigned to transport the collected waste to Bhandewadi. A total of 108 vehicles were used during the two shifts to promptly carry the waste to Bhandewadi. The efforts of the sanitation workers ensured that waste did not remain accumulated in the Dikshabhoomi area.
58,084 followers used Aapli Bus service
The Municipal Corporation’s Transport Department arranged special Aapli Bus services for travel from Dikshabhoomi to Dragon Palace and Shantivan at Chicholi. Between October 18 and 20, a total of 58,084 passengers used the Aapli Bus service to travel from Dikshabhoomi to Dragon Palace, Chicholi and other parts of the city, according to Transport Department Administrative Officer Yogesh Lunge.
The Aapli Bus service from Dikshabhoomi began on October 18, with 267 buses deployed by the municipal corporation. On October 18, 12 buses operated between Dikshabhoomi and Dragon Palace, carrying 1,204 passengers. On October 19, 49 buses were arranged for the Dikshabhoomi-Dragon Palace route, and 9,625 followers used the service. In addition, 534 passengers travelled from Dikshabhoomi to Chicholi on six buses.
41,175 passengers travelled in a single day
On October 20, the highest number of passengers—41,175 followers—used the Aapli Bus service to travel from Dikshabhoomi to Dragon Palace. The municipal corporation arranged 145 buses for this purpose. On the same day, passengers also travelled by Aapli Bus to Nara, Chicholi, Nari, Gandhiputla, Beltarodi, Yashodharanagar and Giddobanagar.
