The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s garbage vans operate in a manner that is as dirty as the garbage they collect. You can smell them from a distance and you can follow the route they have taken too as they leave a trail of litter in their wake. This is especially noticeable on the main roads of Trimulgherry, Lower Tank Bund area, Masab Tank and localities leading to Jawahar Nagar (Shameerpet). Anil Kumar, an employee of a jewellery showroom and a resident of Old Alwal, says the garbage vans passing through Trimulgherry litter the entire road, adding to the pollution. “We are forced to halt and let the van travel ahead so as to avoid the foul smell.”
Priya Raj Kumar, a resident at Lower Tank Bund said, “My morning walks get disturbed as many garbage vans pass through the Lower Tank Bund area. I am afraid of my health being affected.” Commuters also complain that zonal officials do not bother to clear the garbage the vans leave in their wake. “Several times I find that the garbage fallen on the RK Puram flyover the previous night remains uncleared the next day. No one bothers to clean up the place,” says Swarna Rakesh, who lives in RK Puram.
L. Vandhan Kumar, additional commissioner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, says he has never received any complaints about this. “However, I will personally look into the matter and our team will come up with a solution so that commuters and passersby do not have to face these issues,” he said.