Gurgaon: The Haryana government has clarified that contractors involved in door-to-door waste collection must achieve a 95% radio frequency identification (RFID) compliance rate for billing purposes. This decision addresses concerns raised by agencies implementing municipal solid waste management projects across the state.
Meeting chaired by minister Vipul Goel
The clarification was issued during a meeting chaired by Urban Local Bodies Minister Vipul Goel, following representations from solid waste management (SWM) contractors regarding several operational and payment-related issues.
RFID tags and payment linkage
In Gurgaon, agencies have been finalized for doorstep waste collection, with contracts requiring RFID tags at all waste-generating units. Payments are linked to digital records from RFID-based monitoring, a key component of Haryana's urban waste collection system.
For residents and companies, the change is unlikely to affect the waste collection service itself. However, it gives contractors flexibility to account for technical glitches, damaged tags, or situations where waste is collected but an RFID scan is not recorded.
Contractor concerns addressed
Contractors had expressed concern that payments were tied to 100% RFID scans, leading to deductions when not every tagged household was recorded, even if waste was collected. They argued that technical and operational challenges often prevented complete scan coverage despite service delivery.
After reviewing tender conditions, the government clarified that the requirement under the request for proposal (RFP) is 95% RFID compliance, not 100%. Officials also noted that tender provisions allow GPS-based records to be considered when RFID data is unavailable for valid reasons.
Challenges in RFID installation
A contractor, requesting anonymity, said the process of installing RFID tags presents challenges. Under the agreement, contractors have up to 90 days from the work order to complete RFID installation. Achieving the prescribed compliance level during this period can be difficult, as waste collection staff cannot immediately verify whether RFID data has been successfully captured. Since payments depend on digital records, any failure in data capture creates uncertainty for contractors, despite service performance.
Multiple establishments under one property ID
The meeting also addressed the issue of multiple waste-generating establishments operating under a single property identification number. This is common in cities like Gurgaon and Manesar, where several commercial units may function from the same premises.
The government decided that such establishments should be counted separately for payment purposes, subject to verification by municipal authorities. According to officials, this interpretation aligns with the RFP provisions and contractor representations.
Online mechanism and SOP
To facilitate establishment-wise implementation, the Urban Local Bodies Department's IT wing will develop an online mechanism on the departmental portal. Approvals will be granted by designated municipal officials, while the directorate will issue a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) outlining the process in line with tender provisions.
Weekly off request rejected
However, the government rejected a request to factor weekly offs into the payment structure, reiterating that door-to-door waste collection is an essential civic service that must operate throughout the year. The meeting was convened after contractors submitted a representation highlighting 11 issues related to municipal waste management contracts across Haryana.
