Ranchi aspires to impress surveyors of pan-India Swachh Survekshan 2019 scheduled this month with corrosion resistant, cheaper, environment-friendly and difficult to steal stainless steel trash bins across the capital.

A meeting of Ranchi Municipal Corporation’s standing committee on January 7 will finalise the tenders for the purchase of over 500 such stainless steel bins from a private agency.

“We have already got the approval of the RMC board last year and have got few prototypes of the steel bins. The bins will be difficult to steal because they will be grouted with concrete,” RMC city manager in-charge of Swachh Bharat Mission Sandeep Kumar said.

According to RMC sources, over 500 double set plastic bins in twin colours (green and blue for segregation of wet and dry waste, respectively) are currently mounted on poles at various points along roads in all the 53 wards.

“However, there have been complaints of these plastic bins either getting stolen or damaged. These bins can be easily detached from poles and are more susceptible to wear and tear, which results in waste being littered along the roads. The steel bins have no such problems,” an RMC official said.

Moreover, the steel trash cans are environment-friendly as they can be recycled unlike plastic bins that contain toxins and are prone to bacterial growth.

“Even the cost factor tilts the scale in favour of the steel bins. A set of plastic bins cost around Rs 15,700 while two steel bins will cost only Rs 14,000 and are more durable. It also has an aesthetic appeal. We hope to get tender process sorted out on January 7 meeting and start the installation work at least in important locations before the Swachh Survekshan team arrives for field verification by the middle of this month,” Kumar said.

Incidentally, the field verification as part of the pan-India sanitation survey conducted by Union housing and urban affairs ministry is scheduled to commence from January 4 and continue till January 31. However, the dates Jharkhand cities are yet to be announced.

Ranchi had finished 21 in the 2018 survey.