Islamabad to Launch New Waste Collection System in Rural Areas

The Capital Development Authority has issued a letter of acceptance to a Turkish company to start a new cleanliness and waste collection system in Islamabad, with the first phase to be launched in rural areas.

The project is expected to be formally inaugurated by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on October 13.

CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf, Member Environment Abdullah Khurram Niazi and representatives of the Turkish company, the Joint Venture of Atlas Pak Waste Management Company, held a meeting at CDA Headquarters on Tuesday to discuss launch preparations.

Sources said the company representatives gave a detailed presentation on their operational plans and arrangements. The CDA chairman directed the company to start operations as soon as possible to facilitate residents of rural areas and said there would be no compromise on service delivery.

Since the Turkish company won both the urban and rural packages, the CDA has decided to begin the project in rural areas first, while the urban phase will be launched later.

Under the plan, the company will collect waste and transport it to the transfer station in Sector I-11 before it is shifted to the Losar landfill site in Rawalpindi.

A CDA official said the civic body would ensure segregation of waste at the transfer station and is also planning to install a recycling plant, including the use of plastic waste for making manhole covers.

Officials said residents would see a major change from next month, with 103 vehicles operating in rural areas and more than 1,300 uniformed staff on duty. The colours of the uniforms and vehicles have also been finalised.

They said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has been giving special attention to the project to improve cleanliness services for Islamabad residents.

The Turkish company won the contract by submitting a bid worth around Rs18 billion for both urban and rural packages for a four-year term.

At present, rural areas of the capital do not have a proper waste collection system, and the CDA only carries out secondary garbage collection occasionally.

In the absence of a proper system, residents in rural areas have been forced to dump waste in open spaces and drains, which is why the company has been directed to begin operations there first.

Officials said the CDA will continue operations in the urban area with hired machinery and its own staff for now, but the package will eventually also be handed over to the same company.

The CDA had opened the bids in July after a dramatic process. During technical evaluation, the civic body had initially disqualified the Turkish company, but it later restored the bid after the firm challenged the decision.

The company’s bid was eventually found to be the lowest by Rs380 million. A second joint venture challenged the CDA’s decision before PPRA, but after several hearings, the matter was decided in favour of the CDA.