The Haryana government has introduced 50 more electric garbage collection vehicles for door-to-door garbage collection in Gurugram, the state’s commercial hub. According to officials, this addition brings the total number of such eco-friendly vehicles deployed for waste management to over 500.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini flagged off the latest batch of electric garbage collection trucks, stating that he would personally inspect the city’s cleanliness in a week and take action against any negligent officials.

The new electric vehicles are expected to expedite garbage pickup from households while also reducing the environmental impact compared to traditional diesel-powered trucks. A senior official from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) said the organization is working diligently to improve overall cleanliness, including through increased door-to-door collection and the conversion of secondary waste points to “zero garbage” locations.

Additionally, 19 Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officers have been tasked with monitoring cleanliness across all wards under the SWEEP initiative, which closely tracks garbage collection and disposal.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister also inaugurated cloth bag vending machines as part of the campaign to phase out single-use plastic and polythene carry bags in Gurugram.

Andhra Pradesh was the first state to make a similar move pre-pandemic. In 2017, AP Chief Minister Nara Chandra Babu Naidu deployed electric auto-rickshaws for waste disposal. The rickshaws were equipped with an advanced hydraulic disposal system and had been indigenously manufactured by T-Hub startup Gayam Motor Works. 

After that, several Indian states started adopting electric vehicles for garbage collection. Gurugram, in Haryana, is a pioneer in using electric vehicles for garbage collection. They have a fleet of over 500 electric vehicles for door-to-door collection. 

Madhya Pradesh is also planning to switch entirely to electric vehicles for garbage collection in all 413 of its urban bodies. Maharashtra’s Pune has also begun using electric vehicles for garbage collection. They have started with 10 electric garbage tipper vehicles. This shows a promising trend for sustainable waste management across India.